South African Foreign Policy: Department briefing

Meeting report

FOREIGN AFFAIRS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
20 June 2007
SOUTH AFRICAN FOREIGN POLICY: DEPARTMENT BRIEFING

Acting Chairperson (and Chair of the Sub Committee of International Affairs): Ms F Hajaig (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Overview of South Africa’s Foreign Policy: Presentation by the DFA

SUMMARY
Mr L Mngumi, Director, Policy Research and Analysis, Department of Foreign Affairs, gave a detailed summary of the goals and achievement of South African within a global context. South Africa’s foreign policy had dialectic links with their domestic policy. The foreign policy should reinforce the domestic policy in the country. Interests that were important to the rest of Africa were in effect central to South Africa and the global community. It gave South Africa’s partnerships as well as dialogues that had begun between South Africa and organisations such as North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, European Union as well as developments with other continents such as Asia and South America. He also mentioned the interventions made by South Africa in places such as Sudan, Somalia and others. He also mentioned that the economic diplomacy should be linked to Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa and this could be spread through out Africa.

MINUTES
The Acting Chairperson welcomed Mr T Leon (DA) to replace Mr D Gibson (DA) as the Democratic Alliance representative for the Committee.

She reported that Dr A Lutuli (ANC) had gone to Darfur and was pleased to report that quite few African countries were there. The purpose of the summit was to reintroduce Darfur as an important issue in parliaments across Africa. The major issues discussed were the hybrid peacekeeping, and other issues had moved along quite well. The peacekeeping force was in place, but some other elements were being neglected.

Presentation on South Africa’s Foreign Policy: Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Briefing
Mr L Mngumi, Director, Policy and Research Unit, DFA, said that the Portfolio Committee was regarded as being central to the structure of the government and parliament. There was a dialectical link between domestic priorities and foreign affairs, and therefore the foreign policy incorporated economic diplomacy within the context of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGISA). South Africa’s foreign policy also reflected what it hoped to achieve for Africa, countries in the Southern part of Africa and for the global community. It needed to engage with the countries of the north. Issues involving global security, governance, peace and security on the continent emphasised Zimbabwe and Somalia.

Mr Mngumi continued that the foreign policy was guided by the vision of “A better SA, a better Africa and a better world”. South Africa’s future linked with the African continent and it must strive to improve the rest of the continent, with emphasis on central human rights issues, which went beyond politics to affect also the economic, social and environmental issues. Justice and respect for international law, and the promotion of worldwide democracy, must guide relations between nations. Conflicts should be resolved by non-violent means. Economic development would depend on growing regional and international economic integration and cooperation.  South Africa had attained independence late, unlike the North African countries. Market forces should not be allowed to determine the fate the country. There was a shift in South African foreign policy that placed more emphasis on economic diplomacy that involved countries on the continent. Businesses with African countries were encouraged through the foreign policy as well as mutual reinforcement between South Africa’s political and economic interventions.

The priorities of the foreign policy included the consolidation of the African Agenda, South-South cooperation, continuing North-South dialogue, global security and governance. Most of the issues should be dealt within the United Nations. Globalisation had become a predominant force and was both advantageous and devastating to the African continent. The path of globalisation should change in a manner that would ensure that the global agenda could become relevant to the State. Consolidation of the African Agenda (CAA) would entail the strengthening of the African Union, its structures and implementation of the New Economic Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the Pan African Parliament, and other organisations. With the integration of Africa it would be possible to tilt globalisation in favour of the African continent.

The targets for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) were outlined as formation of a free trade area by 2008, completion of negotiations of the Customs Union (SACU) by 2010, and completion of negotiations for the SADC Common Market by 2015. There should be diversification of industrial structures and exports across all economic sectors by 2015 and the export growth rate was targeted at 5% annually. Intra-regional trade should increase to 35% by 2008.

The interventions made thus far in African countries had successfully managed to bring down inflation in both Zambia and Angola. SADC regional targets have had some challenges as overlapping members tended to cause some problems, but the members states had to rationalise in order to succeed. There was a need for consensus to curb the USA’s wish not only to have export of African resources but to gain control of those resources.

The most recent developments in Sudan were that the peace agreement had been signed and the next challenge would be the implementation of the peace agreement. Southern and Northern Sudan could not seem to agree on the sharing of oil resources and there had been threats that Southern Sudan, who held most of the oil reserves,  might secede from Northern Sudan, which could instigate even more problems.

Zimbabwe remained a concern to South Africa and it was felt that the solution was with the people of Zimbabwe. The SADC was working on initiatives to encourage development. The work within the continent ensured that the foreign policy was sensitised to the events in Africa, and complemented the political dealings. South Africa was sometimes viewed as a hegemony because of the great strides that had been made by the country. Challenges in the African agenda included lack of capacity to beneficiate African resources, the scramble for natural resources and the lack of co-ordination by departments.

Some of the steps taken in Africa and in addressing various conflict zones were outlined in the presentation (see attached document). South Africa had managed to make significant advances in foreign policy. There were now 43 trade missions in Africa and an increase in trade opportunities.

There was increased interaction with Latin America and the Diaspora. The India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) had begun to emerge as a dominant force. Dialogue and engagement with developed countries to obtain mutual security and peace had been opened. Partnerships with the European Union (EU), North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the United States (US), for the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) had also advanced to discussion stage. The Department had also been involved in programmes for the reaffirmation of women and their roles.

Mr Mngumi noted that the non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) was challenging as South Africa had to balance both the international and the regional issues with regard to the African continent. It also included sharing responsibilities with the UN with regard to regional interventions. With regard to global security, South Africa believed in collective security through the UNSC. There had been an emergence of a uni-polar world where one super-power acted independently of other nations and had used the UNSC negatively. The only way to combat threats to global security was through multilateralism and international law.

South Africa was committed to peaceful resolutions and was concerned with the developments in the Middle East. South Africa was convinced that if that were resolved the region would stabilise. It was also believed that access to nuclear energy should not be restricted to developed countries.

Discussion
The Acting Chairperson noted that due to time constraints the questions would have to be restricted.

Mr T Leon (DA) disagreed with the statement that globalisation had been both beneficial and divisive. It was his opinion that globalisation had benefited the country and the continent greatly.

Mr M Sibande (ANC) referred to global governance and mentioned that Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries were dividing.

Mr M Shah (DA) believed that foreign policy was underpinned by human rights and economic and domestic priorities. If this was the basis for the foreign policy it should also list the relevant human rights protocols assented to, both in relation to South African actions in the Southern African Development Community and the United Nations.

Dr A Lutuli (ANC) mentioned the fact that African countries helped each other during the process of liberation, and wanted to know what had been put in place to guide business between such countries, as well as what monitoring facilities were in place.

Mr Mngumi replied that there were no set policies in place nor any set codes of conduct. Business was encouraged.

Dr S Pheko (PACA) appreciated that the foreign policy promoted social rights and the fact that investment should benefit both investor and the country. He mentioned that he had heard a rumour that there were two budgets for the African Union (AU), being one or the AU itself and one for South Africa, This only served to heighten the impression of imperialism of South Africa.

Mr Mngumi was not aware of two budgets and added that South Africa went through the AU when it came to funds in connection with the organisation.

Mr P Nefolovhodwe (APO) asked where was the country was situated in relation to the reparation from the damage that had been done during colonialism.
           
Mr Mngumi replied that unfortunately he did not have the answer , and would have to get the statistics and figures. He assured the Honourable member that he would get back to him with the answer.

Mr W Seremane (DA) asked what type of data was used to discover the statistics for child soldiers.

The Acting Chairperson agreed that the use of child soldiers was rife in countries such as Angola and Somalia.
 
Mr Mngumi responded that the Department had met with non-governmental organisations to get information on the topic, and that a mechanism should be put in place to try to ban such use of children.        

The Acting Chairperson emphasised that in future documents that would be discussed in meetings were to be handed to the Committee in advance of the meeting date.

The meeting was adjourned.