Address by Dirco Minister Ronald Lamola on SA's Foreign Policy

South Africa's foreign policy is centered on 'active non-alignment' and the 'universality' posture, aiming to mediate global conflicts and promote the interests of the Global South. A primary focus is the African continent, specifically through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the pursuit of Agenda 2063. The government seeks to enhance economic diplomacy by supporting South African investments in Africa and developing regional value chains for critical minerals like lithium. Additionally, South Africa maintains a commitment to human rights and self-determination, evidenced by its legal actions at the International Court of Justice regarding Palestine and its support for Western Sahara. On a multilateral level, the country advocates for the reform of the UN Security Council and leverages its membership in BRICS and the G20 to amplify African influence.

• South Africa employs a policy of 'active non-alignment' and 'universality', which it defines not as neutrality, but as a proactive effort to lead a unifying agenda through dialogue for developing countries to avoid taking sides in great power rivalries.
• The government prioritizes the African Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to create a single African market, eliminate trade barriers, and establish regional value chains, particularly for critical minerals such as lithium.
• South Africa is pursuing economic diplomacy to support domestic companies and state-owned enterprises in Africa, noting that it has maintained over 450 projects across various African countries over the past year.
• South Africa is actively using international legal frameworks to support Palestinian rights, including an application to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and a referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding the situation in Palestine.
• The government advocates for the reform of global governance, specifically the UN Security Council, to better represent the Global South, and utilizes its role in BRICS and the G20 to advance African interests.

APA

Lamola, R. (2024). Address by Dirco Minister Ronald Lamola on SA's Foreign Policy. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/research/address-by-dirco-minister-ronald-lamola-on-sas-foreign-policy/

Chicago

Lamola, Ronald. Address by Dirco Minister Ronald Lamola on SA's Foreign Policy. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2024. https://saiia.org.za/research/address-by-dirco-minister-ronald-lamola-on-sas-foreign-policy/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Lamola |first1=Ronald |title=Address by Dirco Minister Ronald Lamola on SA's Foreign Policy |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=12 July 2024 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/address-by-dirco-minister-ronald-lamola-on-sas-foreign-policy/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{lamola2024address, author = {Lamola, Ronald}, title = {{Address by Dirco Minister Ronald Lamola on SA's Foreign Policy}}, publisher = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2024}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/address-by-dirco-minister-ronald-lamola-on-sas-foreign-policy/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }