Ramaphosa takes on MK’s foreign policy accusations in parliament

President Cyril Ramaphosa has rebuffed a suggestion in parliament by MK parliamentary leader John Hlophe that SA’s foreign policy is not centred on Africa. 

During a question-and-answer session in the National Assembly on Thursday the president was adamant that “Africa stands at the centre of our foreign policy” which was rooted in the promotion of pan-Africanism. 

Hlophe wanted to know how Ramaphosa could justify SA’s foreign policy “which often seems more aligned with Western interests than with the needs of the African continent”. He also wanted to know what steps the president had taken to ensure that SA remained a leader in promoting African unity and self determination. 

In his reply Ramaphosa offended MK chief whip Mzwanele Manyi by referring to the impeached judge Hlophe as “judge” which Manyi said was a form of mockery as Ramaphosa was responsible for Hlophe’s impeachment. Ramaphosa apologised if he had caused offence. 

Ramaphosa said SA was firmly committed to strengthening the AU, the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), as well as instruments of peace, stability, integration and development in the region and the continent. 

“Our country plays a leading role in several continental platforms and issues. We are for example the chair of the presidential infrastructure initiative. We are currently the AU champion on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.”

SA was working closely with other countries on the continent towards the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which was set to eliminate trade barriers, he said. 

“We continue to work within the AU to end several ongoing conflicts on our continent to restore constitutional and democratic government to countries that have recently experienced coups.” 

Ramaphosa pointed out that SA was busy with peace efforts in Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan. He noted that SA had led the continental response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including getting access to medical supplies and vaccines. 

“SA has consistently championed the African agenda on the world stage. Our country successfully advocated for the inclusion of the AU as a fully fledged member of the G20 [Group of Twenty]. We have indicated that we will place the interests of the African continent prominently on the agenda of our G20 presidency next year.” 

The president noted that SA had also stressed the value of Brics to advancing Africa’s development. As chair of Brics last year, SA had invited other African representatives to the Brics summit.

Ramaphosa emphasised that SA continued to pursue an independent foreign policy which was aimed at promoting SA’s own national interests which were based on the protection and promotion of its national sovereignty and constitutional order. 

“The key pillars of our foreign policy include the promotion of human rights, peace and stability and the strengthening of trade and investment ties without other countries.” 

SA’s foreign policy was based on a principle of non-alignment with regard to global issues. 

“We have chosen not to align ourselves with any of the major powers or blocs. Instead our country strives to work with all countries for global peace and development. We are guided by our own values and principles and we are firmly committed to advancing the development and prosperity of the continent that we call home.” 

Preparations were under way to forge a permanent peace in the DRC and SA would play a key role in this.

Questioned by Bosa leader Mmusi Maimane why SA had met a protagonist in the Sudanese war and had not condemned the human rights violations in Zimbabwe, Ramaphosa said it was SA’s policy to meet all parties involved in conflict situations in a bid to broker peace as it had done in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It had also met both parties involved in the Sudanese and Ethiopian conflicts.

Ramaphosa said that in the next few weeks SA would present the substance of its case to the International Court of Justice that genocide was taking place in Gaza. He was confident that it was a solid case. 

ensorl@businesslive.co.za