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

An address by Dirco Minister Ronald Lamola outlining South Africa's foreign policy, which emphasizes active non-alignment, the centrality of Africa through Agenda 2063 and the AfCFTA, and solidarity with peoples resisting occupation in Palestine and Western Sahara.

• South Africa employs a policy of "active non-alignment," which the government describes as a proactive pursuit of peace and a unifying agenda through dialogue, rather than neutrality or abstention. This posture is intended to support developing countries that wish to avoid taking sides in "great power rivalry" and allows non-aligned nations to act as mediators in conflicts, such as the war between Russia and Ukraine.
• Africa is the central focus of South Africa's foreign policy, with a commitment to Agenda 2063 and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to create a single African market. South Africa aims to boost intra-African trade, develop regional value chains within the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), and establish a common continental strategy for the extraction and protection of critical minerals like lithium.
• South Africa is pursuing economic diplomacy to support its companies and state-owned enterprises in Africa, maintaining over 450 projects across various countries. Specific regional infrastructure and energy goals include completing Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, increasing energy cooperation with Namibia and Mozambique, and implementing the renewed Grand Inga Treaty with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• The government maintains a policy of solidarity with populations resisting occupation and oppression. This includes legal actions against Israel via the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to protect Palestinians in Gaza, as well as supporting the people of Western Sahara in their quest for self-determination through a United Nations referendum.
• South Africa advocates for the reform of global governance, specifically the UN Security Council, to better represent the Global South. It utilizes its membership in BRICS and the G20 to advance African interests, noting the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 and the expansion of BRICS to include Ethiopia, Egypt, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.

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} }