Department of International Relations and Cooperation Strategic Plan 2011-2014

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International Relations

08 March 2011
Chairperson: Mr T Magama (ANC)
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Meeting Summary

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation briefed the Committee on its strategic plan for the next five years. The Department would seek to push an enhanced African agenda and sustainable development. It would seek to strengthen political and economic integration of Southern African Development Community (SADC). It would strengthen South-South relations, strengthen relations with strategic formations of the North and participate in the Global System of Governance as well as strengthen political and economic relations.

The Department faced several challenges in carrying out its mandate. There was a high mobility of skilled workers as all Government Departments drew workers from the same resource base. The Department had to re-skill workers to new and also ever increasing requirements. The Department required cooperation from business units on providing inputs for the development of Demand Management Plans. DIRCO would have to implement Department-wide records management. It would have to ensure accuracy and completeness of the asset register, including conducting monthly reconciliation; liaise with missions, across time differences.

South Africa would assume the chairmanship of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation in 2011. The country would support and work towards the effective functioning of the recently launched Regional Early Warning Centre as a key instrument for conflict prevention. Efforts would be geared towards deepening regional democratisation processes through participation in the newly established SADC Electoral Advisory Council, with a view to enhancing regional electoral standards. South Africa would work towards the consolidation of mediation efforts in Zimbabwe and Madagascar and also encourage the implementation of agreements. The security and stability of the Democratic Republic of the Congo would continue to be a key focus including support to processes leading to the presidential and legislative elections due to take place in 2011. South Africa would continue to contribute towards the readiness of the Southern Africa Standby force as part of the African Union’s Standby Force.

DIRCO expected to spend 97.5% of its allocated R4,595,900,000 budget. DIRCO had wanted to open new missions in China and India due to their strategic value but it could not do so due to its reduced budget. The Department would spend R1,858,600,000 on compensation of employees. R1,694,900,000 would be spent on goods and services.  The Department would spend R872,300,000 on transfers and subsidies and R170, 100,000 on the payment of capital assessments. The Department had spent 98% of its budget in the previous financial year in which it had been allocated R5,412,900,000. The Department received consistent unqualified audits. The Department had had 2069 posts approved to be filled and had filled 1583 of those positions. The Department had 385 vacant partially funded posts and 101 vacant and unfunded positions.

Members asked if the Department intended to spend some of its Medium Term Expenditure Framework funds on building new missions/consulates and how much DIRCO contributed to the Pan African Parliament. They asked if the Department was strengthening its embassies across the world so that they had economic functions and could actively assist in job creation. They asked what form of democracy there was in the Arab Gulf States. Some members suggested that South Africa work with other countries to assist Haiti in light of its political situation.

They asked if the Department intended to fill some of its vacancies with people with disabilities and how accessible for such people its consulate buildings were across the world. They asked what the Department was doing to assist citizens in foreign prisons such as Bangkok. They asked who was responsible for the ratification of United Nations conventions once they had been signed by the country. They commented on the need to prioritise the Department’s Cadet Programme and give it more prominence.


Meeting report

Department of International Relations and Cooperation Strategic Plan and Budget
Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba, Director General: DIRCO, presented the Department’s strategic plan to the Committee.

The Department would seek to push an enhanced African agenda and sustainable development. It would seek to strengthen political and economic integration of SADC. It would strengthen South-South relations, strengthen relations with strategic formations of the North and participate in the Global System of Governance as well as strengthen political and economic relations.
The Department would pursue the implementation of NEPAD and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) at the national level. A key activity in that regard was the strengthening of NEPAD and APRM strategic coordination mechanisms in South Africa. The African Union (AU) Assembly’s Decision regarding Heads of State and Government Priority Programmes of the AU/NEPAD Africa Action Plan 2010-2015 projects required that DIRCO focus on the implementation of the President’s infrastructure project of the North-South Corridor, championing road and rail. DIRCO would also support the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) as the APRM focal point in South Africa on the implementation of South Africa’s APRM National Programme of Action. The African Diaspora would be actively engaged, in particular, in relation to the promotion of the African Agenda. Internationally, NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development) and APRM had been positioned to form the core of Africa’s South-South and South-North relationships.  

As a member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2011-2012, South Africa would contribute to the work of the UNSC in the maintenance of international peace and security, especially in Africa. South Africa would continue its contribution in Africa, in particular the DRC, Sudan, and Comoros, in continuation of the work already initiated in those countries. Under the SADC and AU mandates, South Africa would continue to facilitate mediation and peace building efforts in Sudan, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and the Great Lakes Region.

South Africa would assume the chairmanship of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation in 2011. The country would support and work towards the effective functioning of the recently launched Regional Early Warning Centre (REWC) as a key instrument for conflict prevention. Efforts would be geared towards deepening regional democratisation processes through participation in the newly established SADC Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC), with a view to enhancing regional electoral standards. South Africa would work towards the consolidation of mediation efforts in Zimbabwe and Madagascar and also encourage the implementation of agreements. The security and stability of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) would continue to be a key focus including support to processes leading to the presidential and legislative elections due to take place in 2011. South Africa would continue to contribute towards the readiness of the Southern Africa Standby force as part of the AU’s Standby Force.

South Africa would continue with its efforts to engage with Morocco in North Africa.
Concerning recent political changes in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, South Africa would continue to monitor developments and support the ongoing efforts to ensure that peace, security and stability return in these countries. In respect of Western Sahara, South Africa would continue to support UN and AU initiatives and encourage the disputing parties to find a just and lasting solution, based on self-determination and decolonisation. South Africa would continue its humanitarian assistance programme to the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic.

The Department faced several challenges in carrying out its mandate. There was a high mobility of skilled workers as all Government Departments drew workers from the same resource base. The Department had to re-skill workers to new and also ever increasing requirements. The Department required cooperation from business units on providing inputs for the development of Demand Management Plans. DIRCO would have to implement Department-wide records management. It would have to ensure accuracy and completeness of the asset register, including conducting monthly reconciliation; liaise with missions, across time differences.

The Department’s transversal systems were outdated and non-integrated and it could not support new financial requirements. The Department would have to clear its old debts and advances. It faced tight deadlines from the National Treasury on its budget and annual audit. It faced a
huge demand for continually reducing its financial resource base and balancing its division of budget according to priorities. The security deployment for missions and deployment and upgrade of ICT infrastructure presented further challenges. The Department needed to maintain a relationship with its service providers and suppliers. It needed to operationalise the Consular Emergency Response Team. It needed to implement a “One-Stop-Service” for legalisation of public documents for use abroad. It needed to deploy adequate security measures at foreign missions. It needed better vetting of all DIRCO officials.

DIRCO expected to spend 97.5% of its allocated R4,595,900,000 budget. The Department would spend R1,858,600,000 on compensation of employees, R1,694,900,000 would be spent on goods and services.  The Department would spend R872,300,000 on transfers and subsidies and R170,100,000 on the payment of capital assessments. The Department had spent 98% of its budget in the previous financial year in which it had been allocated R5,412,900,000. The Department received consistent unqualified audits.

The Department had had 2069
posts approved to be filled and had filled 1583 of those positions. The Department had 385 vacant partially funded posts and 101 vacant and unfunded positions.

Discussion
Ms L Jacobus (ANC) asked if the Department intended to spend some of its Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) funds on building new missions/consulates. She asked how much DIRCO contributed to the Pan African Parliament (PAP). She asked if the noted partially funded vacant positions were necessary and at what level of management they were.

Dr Ntsaluba responded that the Department would not be spending any of its MTEF funds on the construction of new consulates due to budget constraints. The Department wanted to maintain all of its current missions as they were all necessary. DIRCO had wanted to open new missions in China and India due to their strategic value but it could not do so due to budget constraints. The Department was of the view that PAP needed to get additional funding from the AU and other African countries. Most of the partially funded vacant positions were at low management levels. The Department had necessary capacity at senior management levels.

Mr Asogan Moodley, Chief Financial Officer: DIRCO, replied that South Africa contributed R53.1 million of which R33 million was dedicated to the rental of the PAP premises and the other R20 million was for operational costs.

Mr S Mokgalapa (DA) thanked the Director General for his presentation. In light of the Department’s commitment to enhancing the African agenda, what was the progress on ratifying the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance? He commented that not enough was being done to improve the Department’s Cadet Programme for university students who wanted to join the Department. There was a need for accomplished and talented people in management positions and the Cadet Programme would assist with that if better managed. He congratulated the Department on its management of state-owned properties under its purview.

Mr K Mubu (DA) commented that South Africa should take a proactive stance on the need to enhance the African agenda through the promotion of human rights and democracy throughout the continent. South Africa should use its upcoming chairmanship of SADC to put pressure on Zimbabwe to reform its political system. He sought comment from the Department on a US diplomat’s comments on his apparent disappointment with the South African approach to the Ivory Coast crisis. He asked what the situation in Western Sahara was. He commended the Department for its focus on the Cadet Programme and prioritising it as an important area needing focus.

Dr Ntsaluba replied that the Western Sahara issue was a complex matter. DIRCO was not succeeding in identifying issues on how to assist that region. The Department took note of Mr Mubu’s comments and suggestions.

Ms Nozipho Mxakato-Diseko, Deputy Director General: Americas Branch: DIRCO, replied that the Department could not respond on the issue of the US Diplomat. There were proper channels through which diplomats could address the Department.

Ms C September (ANC) thanked the Director General for his presentation. She asked which programmes the Department had highlighted as being of high importance. She asked if the Department was strengthening its embassies across the world so that they had economic functions and could actively assist in job creation. Intra-Africa trade was important and more should be done to improve that area of foreign policy. She said that the Department should report back to the Committee when it carried out its quarterly reports on the vacancy rate and improvements on it.

Dr Ntsaluba replied that every mission was expected to outline what it needed in terms of resources with the job creation theme emphasised. Ms Mxakato-Diseko added that economic diplomacy was important and informed every action the Department took. The Departments of Trade and Industry and Economic Development contributed in giving input on what was required to improve intra-Africa trade. It was hard to measure the success of the trade but prominent deals would be publicised. The Wal-Mart deal was one such deal. It was an important deal as it provided South Africa with access to the Asian market.

Mr B Skosana (IFP) said that advancement of the African agenda was born out of the African Renaissance initiative and it was a shame that the programme was not followed up adequately. It appeared that South Africa’s foreign policy did not reflect the country’s domestic policy and that was problematic. It was a shame that there was high emphasis placed on the education of people in foreign languages but less emphasis of education in indigenous languages in South Africa and in other parts of the continent. He commented that there was a need in Africa to form a Council of Elders who would travel to troubled parts of the continent and advise African leaders on democratic practices. Such a Council, if formed would be useful for the continent. What was the meaning and form of democracy in the Arab Gulf States? He welcomed the formation of BRICSA (
Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa ) but said that in joining that economic bloc, South Africa should study countries such as Japan and China which were emerging economic countries. The Department’s Cadet Programme should be given more prominence and should be promoted.

Dr Ntsaluba responded that there was a theory that the Arab Gulf States which had experienced revolutions would take on a “Turkish model” of democracy. That model advocated an Islamic state which was governed and ruled secularly. The Department would reach out to scholars to get a better understanding of what was happening in the Gulf States. The Department would engage with Mr Skosana’s proposed idea of a Council of Elders, the issue had been brought before the Minister before and would be discussed again. The Department had taken note of Mr Skosana’s other comments and suggestions.

Mr S Ngonyama (COPE) thanked the Director General for his presentation. He said that the country should use its upcoming chairmanship of SADC to intervene in troubled parts of the region. He commented on the necessity of public diplomacy and the need to inform the citizenry of the country’s foreign policy workings. He emphasised the need for the implementation of Early Warning Systems so that troubled spots on the continent could be adequately assisted when trouble struck. With the recent events in North Africa, it was important that the South African government take cognisance of the massive rate of unemployment in the country and address it to avoid some of the scenes that happened in North Africa. He suggested that South Africa work with other countries to assist Haiti in light of its political situation. He asked for comment from the Department on the proposed AU standby force. Economic Development should receive higher prioritisation from the Department.

Dr Ntsaluba responded that DIRCO would arrange a briefing for the Committee on the AU standby force. Economic Development was a high priority for the Department and its location in the slide show was inconsequential. DIRCO was assisting with the situation in Haiti through assisting President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in returning to Haiti. He agreed with Mr Ngonyama’s point that DIRCO should work in conjunction with other countries in assisting with the situation in Haiti. The Department did not look at issues through a party political lens but rather through a scope which was cognisant of the national interest.

Ms W Newhoudt-Druchen (ANC) asked why there would be a conference on the African Diaspora undertaken by the Department. Did the Department intend to fill some of its vacancies with disabled people and how accessible were some of the consulate buildings across the world for such people? She asked what the Department was doing to assist citizens in foreign prisons such as Bangkok. Who was responsible for the ratification of United Nations (UN) conventions once they had been signed by the country?

Dr Ntsaluba responded that the country needed to interact with the African Diaspora in order to improve relations with Africans living outside the continent. This would also be done in conjunction with the AU. He replied that some of the consulate buildings were not disability friendly and did not provide easy access to disabled people. This was a pervasive problem which the Department was looking into addressing. DIRCO did not have the lead responsibility in the implementation of UN conventions to which the country was a signatory. The Department was only in charge of ensuring that the conventions were signed and thereafter implementation was left to the relevant department. DIRCO was in discussions with Mr Collins Chabane, Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation, in the Presidency to try and take on the duty of oversight and implementation of the conventions.

Dr Ntsaluba added that the Department might not have responded to all the questions raised but if there were outstanding questions the Department would respond to those in writing should the Committee see it fit.

The Chairperson said that the meeting was an initial briefing and more extensive engagement would come with the Department after the Budget Vote.

The meeting was adjourned.


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