Address by Dirco Deputy Minister Alvin Botes at a Symposium on SA's Foreign Policy

An address by Dirco Deputy Minister Alvin Botes detailing South Africa's strategic foreign policy approach amidst a shifting geopolitical landscape. The speech emphasizes non-alignment, the role of multilateralism through BRICS+ and the G20, and the necessity of addressing regional security and climate change to protect national interests.

• South Africa identifies four primary issues shaping the current geopolitical landscape: the rise of right-wing nationalism and narrow ethnoculturalism, the increasing influence of technology, ongoing regional and international conflicts, and environmental degradation.
• The resurgence of right-wing nationalism is viewed as a threat to multilateralism, potentially leading to a shift from global agreements toward bilateral trade deals and protectionist policies that hinder cooperation on climate change, public health, and arms control.
• Technological advancement is described as a 'double-edged sword' that can drive economic growth but also risks exacerbating the digital divide in rural areas and displacing traditional jobs in the mining and agriculture sectors through automation and AI.
• South Africa maintains a principled foreign policy based on non-alignment and international law, utilizing memberships in BRICS+, the UN, the AU, and the G20 to advocate for a reformed global governance system and access funding via the New Development Bank.
• During its G20 Presidency, South Africa intends to use the theme 'Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability' to advocate for the Global South, push for reforms in the global financial architecture, and revive the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
• South Africa's security strategy in Africa emphasizes that military solutions cannot solve complex political and economic crises, highlighting its involvement in SADC-led peacekeeping in the Democratic Republic of Congo despite significant risks and a R5 billion budget boost.
• The government is pursuing a 'just energy transition' to address climate change, shifting from a coal-heavy energy mix toward investments in wind, solar, and hydrogen to create green industry jobs.
• South Africa asserts its foreign policy sovereignty through actions such as taking Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for genocide and maintaining a non-aligned stance on the war in Ukraine.

APA

Botes, A. (2025). Address by Dirco Deputy Minister Alvin Botes at a Symposium on SA's Foreign Policy. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/research/address-by-dirco-deputy-minister-alvin-botes-at-a-symposium-on-sas-foreign-policy/

Chicago

Botes, Alvin. Address by Dirco Deputy Minister Alvin Botes at a Symposium on SA's Foreign Policy. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2025. https://saiia.org.za/research/address-by-dirco-deputy-minister-alvin-botes-at-a-symposium-on-sas-foreign-policy/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Botes |first1=Alvin |title=Address by Dirco Deputy Minister Alvin Botes at a Symposium on SA's Foreign Policy |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=25 March 2025 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/address-by-dirco-deputy-minister-alvin-botes-at-a-symposium-on-sas-foreign-policy/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{botes2025address, author = {Botes, Alvin}, title = {{Address by Dirco Deputy Minister Alvin Botes at a Symposium on SA's Foreign Policy}}, publisher = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2025}, month = mar, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/address-by-dirco-deputy-minister-alvin-botes-at-a-symposium-on-sas-foreign-policy/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }