Advocate Mtho Xulu, the president of the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, slammed the DA and other critics of the African Peace Initiative, saying African leaders could no longer wait for the developed nations to plead Africa's case in world politics.
"To say a mission like this is wasteful is not to understand how diplomacy works and how to become part of the global community," said Xulu. "The direct impact has been on grain and fertiliser but that has a knock-on effect because food shortage would affect every citizen on the continent. According to the African Development Bank, the conflict has"triggered a shortage of about 30 million tonnes of grains on the African continent, along with a sharp increase in cost."