“Building a Better World:
The Diplomacy of Ubuntu”
The Draft White Paper on
South Africa’s Foreign Policy
Presented by the Department of
International Relations and Cooperation
Background
• Green Paper on Foreign Policy initiated as far back as 1996
• In 2010, the Minister of International Relations and
Cooperation initiated an assessment of South Africa’s foreign
policy against a backdrop of a rapidly changing international
relations environment and “the weight of rising expectations”
• DIRCO therefore engaged a broad base of stakeholders.
• Drafts were workshopped with the ICTS cluster, departments,
provinces, former diplomats, academia, think tanks, business,
organised labour, NGOs and civil society.
• Approved by Cabinet for submission to Parliament
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Strategic Purpose
• The Draft White Paper strives to outline the
broad principles and elements of South
Africa’s foreign policy, as well as a framework
for implementation thereof, including
clarification on the role & mandate of DIRCO.
• The Draft White Paper presents a framework
for achieving Outcome 11, namely to create a
better South Africa and contribute to a better
and safer Africa and World.
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Structure of the Draft White Paper
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Foreword
Preamble
Introduction
The Mandate of DIRCO
South Africa’s Values and Interests
Drivers and Trends in the Global System
Global Positioning of South Africa
Taking Diplomacy Forward
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Key Concepts
• The Draft White Paper grounds foreign policy in South Africa’s
domestic priorities.
• The Draft White Paper acknowledges the interconnectedness/relationship between interests and values in
determining the National Interest.
• The concept of the “diplomacy of ubuntu” is used to explain
South Africa’s foreign policy approach of collaboration,
cooperation and partnership rather than conflict and
competition.
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Pillars of South Africa’s Foreign Policy
• Immediate neighbourhood and the African Continent;
• Working with the South to address shared challenges of
underdevelopment;
• Promoting global equity and social justice;
• Working with the North to develop true and effective
partnerships for a better world;
• Transforming and strengthening the multilateral system to
better reflect global diversity & its centrality in global
governance.
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Key Foreign Policy Principles
– States are interdependent
– Cooperation over competition and collaboration over
confrontation
– Draws on the spirit of internationalism, pan-Africanism, and
South-South solidarity, rejects colonialism and other forms of
oppression
– Pursues the quest for the unity and economic, political and
social renewal of Africa
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Key Foreign Policy Principles (cont)
– Committed to development partnerships with countries of the
North, as well as through trilateral and South-South
cooperation
– Promotes poverty alleviation around the world; and opposition
to structural inequality and abuse of power in the global
system
– Pursues democracy within the international system of
governance
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Drivers and Trends
in the Global System
Rapidly changing economic & political order:
– Demographics
– Realignment of economic power
– Innovation
– New media and social networks
– Environmental change
– Heightened demand for scarce resources
– Changing nature of conflict and insecurity
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Global Positioning of South Africa
• South Africa’s vision:
– to be a successful, influential and leading member of
the international community
– supported by a globally competitive economy on a
sustained growth path
– made significant inroads in addressing
unemployment, inequality and poverty
– contributing to the development of our region and
continent.
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Africa
• Our struggle for a better life in South Africa is intertwined
with our pursuit of a better Africa in a better world.
• Destiny is inextricably linked to that of the Southern
African region.
• Regional and continental integration is the foundation for
Africa’s socio-economic development and political unity,
and essential for our own prosperity and security.
• Africa is at the centre of South Africa’s foreign policy.
• Support regional and continental processes.
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Africa’s Potential
 Structural changes in the global economy have opened
up opportunities that position Africa as significant to the
global economy.
 Africa has benefited greatly from the demand for its
natural resources as a result of the rise of emerging
powers.
 Accelerated growth has been demonstrated in the
majority of countries on the continent.
 Several factors lie behind these changes, namely:
improved governance and business environment,
increased demand for goods and services.
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The African Agenda
 Given the global trend towards regional economic
integration, the acceleration of Africa’s regional
integration is imperative for economic competiveness
and greater economies of scale.
 Peace, stability, and security are essential preconditions
for development.
 South Africa will intensify its engagements in the AU and
its structures in order for the AU to fulfil its role in
building African unity and the social and economic
development of the continent.
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Development Partnerships
• South Africa will continue to engage internationally on
aid effectiveness, increased global development
assistance, and strengthening development
partnerships.
• The South African Development Partnership Agency
(SADPA) will be an important instrument to promote
more effective development cooperation.
• It will therefore pursue bilateral cooperation with African
countries as well as trilateral cooperation with
international partners in support of African development.
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Multilateralism
• Global challenges: human security, environmental
sustainability, poverty alleviation, development (and the Post2015 Development Agenda), political and economic crises,
human rights, disarmament and the non-proliferation of
nuclear weapons.
• Multilateral cooperation needed to find equitable multilateral
solutions to global problems.
• The United Nations (UN) system, through its universal
membership and broad mandate, occupies the central and
indispensable role within the global system of governance.
• However, the established global multilateral architecture has
its roots in the post-Second World War context
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Reform of the UN and
Bretton Woods Institutions
• The developing world, especially Africa, has a limited voice and
participation in the decision- and policy-making processes of the
global trade, economic and financial institutions.
• South Africa recognises the importance of multilateralism and a
rules-based system governed by international law.
• Comprehensive reform of the architecture of global governance,
including the UN system and the Bretton Woods Institutions, to
make them more effective, legitimate, and responsive to the needs
of the developing world.
• Security Council Membership
– Served twice as non-permanent member
– Continues to pursue reform to establish greater African
representation
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Other forums
• Groupings outside the formal multilateral structures in order to
address specific issues affecting the international community.
• Groups such as the G20, Major Economies Forum, BASIC,
IBSA and BRICS have grown in prominence and are focused
on global issues related to political, security, environment and
economic matters.
• South Africa supports the use of such groupings as an
important mechanism for consensus building, whilst
recognising the centrality of the UN and ensuring that its
processes are not undermined.
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South-South Cooperation
• 1955 Africa-Asia Conference in Bandung: outcomes were the
establishment of NAM and G77
• Shared objective about the need to change the world to reflect
the needs and interests of developing countries
• Later: NAASP, G8 Outreach, IBSA, BRICS, BASIC, etc
• Need to elevate these partnerships to a different level,
building on the goodwill and solidarity, and generate mutually
beneficial economic relations.
• Shared historical ties, similar challenges, alternative
development paths.
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Challenges
• Increased competition among states to position themselves in
order to maximise their international profiles and visibility.
• Cohesion of the South as key developing countries graduate
into developed countries.
• Influence and capacity gap between emerging powers and the
rest of the developing world, especially LDCs.
• Impact on the solidarity of the South
• Divergences in the developing world agenda
• Shift in global economic centre of gravity from North-West to
South and East
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Economic Diplomacy
• Success of economic diplomacy linked to achievement
of domestic priorities.
• Economy must be able to compete in the global market.
• Aim is to pursue national economic policy objectives and
leverage opportunities that arise from global markets and
increasing flows of global trade and investment.
• Focus of our international engagements must therefore
include the creation of sustainable jobs and scaled up
investments in employment-intensive sectors in South
Africa.
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Economic Diplomacy
• South Africa’s economic diplomacy will therefore:
– Provide guidance to government and the business
sector on economic developments and markets,
– Pursuing market access for South African products,
– Attracting investments and tourism,
– Removing barriers to trade,
– Supporting development of larger markets in Africa,
– Enhance competitiveness of South African goods and
services in the major global markets, and
– Pursue a fair and equitable rules-based international
trade regime.
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Asia
 Asia is of increasing importance to South Africa and
Africa.
 Power shifts in the global political and economic system
have increased the relevance of the Asian region, with
major emerging powers such as China and India
increasing their global influence.
 The growing economic importance of Asia is also
reflected in South Africa’s changing trade patterns with
Asia.
 Asia has become South Africa’s largest trading region
and an increasingly important source of investment.
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Middle East
• In the Middle East, South Africa will remain consistent in its
support for the Middle East Peace Process and the peaceful
settlement of disputes.
• South Africa’s foreign policy will have to take cognisance of
the competing interests of the major powers in this region, as
it pursues its unique role based on its successful political
transition.
• The Levant region also has the potential to offer future export
opportunities.
• Access Sovereign Wealth Funds in the Gulf to finance
infrastructure development
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Europe
• Europe will remain of critical strategic interest to South Africa
and the EU currently represents a successful model of
regional integration.
• EU enlargement has created the largest economic bloc in the
world and remains South Africa’s largest trading bloc,
representing more than a third of South Africa’s total trade.
• It remains an important source of foreign direct investment
and official development assistance into South Africa, as well
as a primary market for tourism.
• Europe retains very large voice and influence in multilateral
institutions, and active supporter of African initiatives
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Americas and the Caribbean
 Bilateral relations would therefore be used to enhance
economic, scientific, technical, and business
opportunities through bilateral mechanisms.
 The USA and Canada will remain dominant global and
regional political and economic players, with significant
potential for South African and African trade, tourism,
and investment.
 America still a dominant force in global affairs with global
projection of power, even if increasingly limited.
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Taking Diplomacy Forward
• Cross-sectoral approach and coordinated response
required across all spheres of government, public
enterprises, the private sector, labour, civil society, and
other non-state actors.
– Strengthen the Consultative Forum on International Relations
– Establish South African Council on International Relations
• Public diplomacy essential to project South Africa’s
image, values and culture both domestically and abroad.
• South Africa’s diplomacy of Ubuntu, focusing on our
common humanity, provides an inclusive and
constructive world view to shape a evolving global order.
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THANK YOU
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