President Jacob Zuma on Saturday congratulated his American counterpart Barack Obama on his Nobel Peace Prize.

Obama received the award on Friday for his ongoing efforts to boost international relations.

There has been mixed reaction to the announcement, some say Obama has not been in office long enough to be eligible for the accolade.

But the International Relations and Co-Operations Ministry’s Nomfanelo Kota says Zuma is very supportive of Obama’s latest achievement.

"In South Africa, this is what we call Ubuntu: a person is a person because of others. President Obama's leadership reflects the true spirit of Ubuntu, his approach celebrates our common humanity," said Kota.

Meanwhile, Zuma invited Brazilian President Lula da Silva to visit South Africa during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Zuma arrived back home on Saturday following his first official state visit to Brazil.

Addressing the media there, Zuma said he hopes to strengthen South Africa's bilateral relations with that country, adding that South Africa can learn a lot from Brazil.

Eyewitness News

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