ZIYANDA STUURMAN: Improving SA’s partnerships in Africa more important than ever
Ties need to be strengthened as mining and export capabilities could fall behind those of regional partners
SA’s foreign policy positions — and clashes with foreign governments over those positions — have dominated headlines over the past two weeks. However, for all of the public debate and discussion they have catalysed there are aspects of the government’s foreign policy framework that are often overlooked and need more attention.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his state of the nation address last week that “Africa remains at the centre of our foreign policy”, but that hasn’t actually been true for a number of years. The Zuma and now Ramaphosa administrations have been hyper-focused on building a platform for SA on the global stage, through its membership of the Brics bloc, attending Group of Seven meetings as an observer nation, and then becoming a member of the Group of Twenty. But in so doing, some of our most important partnerships in Africa have been neglected. ..
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