Foreign policy and trade relations
Government continues through its international relations, to advance the well-being of the South African people as it seeks to advance the well-being of humanity. It will work to strengthen the country’s trade relations around the world and to leverage its strong and diverse global alliances to make the economy more resilient.
The key pillars of the country’s foreign policy remain the promotion of human rights, peace and friendship and the strengthening of fair trade and investment ties with other countries. These are the principles that guide South Africa’s Presidency of the G20 this year.
The country has chosen the theme of “Solidarity, Equality and Sustainable Development”, to underscore the need for cooperation and partnership among the countries of the world.
“For the first time in its history, the G20 is being hosted on the African continent following the admission of the African Union (AU) as a member. It is an opportunity to place the needs of Africa and the rest of the Global South more firmly on the international development agenda.
“Our G20 presidency is a valuable opportunity for South Africa to advance efforts towards greater global economic growth and sustainable development.” - President Cyril Ramaphosa, SoNA, 6 February 2025, Cape Town City Hall.
“Africa remains at the centre of our foreign policy. We continue to work to strengthen the AU to support the achievement of peace, development and economic integration on the continent.
“We know that our future prosperity is inextricably bound to the prosperity of the African continent. For Africa to thrive, we must silence the guns on the continent. Since the advent of democracy, we have been instrumental in restoring stability in countries like Côte d’Ivoire, Burundi, South Sudan and Lesotho.
“Most recently, we have been part of the Sout
ern African Development Community (SADC) peacekeeping mission in Mozambique that has brought relative calm and stability to the Cabo Delgado province. The presence of South African peacekeepers in the eastern DRC is testament to our continued commitment to the peaceful resolution of one of the world’s most intractable conflicts, which has cost millions of lives and displaced millions of people.
“We call on all parties to embrace the current diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful resolution, including honouring the Luanda Process. We will attend the Joint Summit between SADC and the East African Community scheduled to take place in Tanzania this weekend, where we will reiterate our call for a ceasefire and a resumption of talks to find a just and enduring solution.
“We have always believed that the freedom we won – and the international solidarity from which we benefited – imposes a duty on us to support the struggles of those who continue to experience colonialism and oppression.
“South Africa continues to stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine, who, having endured decades of illegal occupation, are now experiencing indescribable suffering.
“South Africa has acted in accordance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention by instituting proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
“We are fully committed to the articles of the United Nations (UN) Charter, including the principle that all members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means.” – President Cyril Ramaphosa, SoNA, 6 February 2025, Cape Town City Hall.
“We support the principle of respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states and peoples. We continue to participate in the different peace processes seeking to bring about a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. South African delegations have been instrumental in developing a framework for negotiations towards a just peace in Ukraine based on the UN Charter and international law.
“South Africa continues to advance its agenda of cooperation and multilateralism through its membership of the UN, AU, the Non-Aligned Movement and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) group of countries. As humanity confronts unprecedented challenges, we are determined that a reformed and representative UN must be at the centre of global affairs.
“We will continue to push for progress on the reform of the UN Security Council into a more inclusive, more effective body that is able to ensure peace and security. The work we do and what we stand for needs to be explained to many key players, especially to our trading partners and the many countries and leaders we interact with on the global stage.
“With a view to explaining the many positions that we have taken, and in particular the objectives we wish to achieve during our presidency of the G20, I have decided to send a delegation of government and other leaders to various capitals on our continent and across the world. This delegation will interact with various key players on a variety of matters that affect South Africa’s interests. All of these things that we speak of are possible.
