President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed that South Africa’s foreign policy will always be shaped by national interest, constitutional values and priorities, and not by external influence.
“South Africa’s national interest will forever remain independent, not beholden to external influence. It will reflect our constitutional values and national priorities. As we continue to engage constructively with the international community, we have been consistent that this should always be on the basis of mutual respect,” President Ramaphosa said.
In his weekly newsletter on Monday, the President emphasised that the country’s outlook is anchored in multilateralism, respect for sovereignty and the pursuit of alliances that advance peace, justice and national interest.
He reflected on South Africa’s participation at the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Japan last week, describing it as an important platform for strengthening trade and investment ties.
“Japan is an important trading partner for South Africa in sectors such as construction, manufacturing, technology and agriculture,” he said.
READ | President urges deeper South Africa-Japan trade and investment ties
Business representatives from both countries used the sidelines of TICAD to explore partnerships in clean and renewable energy, automotive components and hydrogen production.
A highlight of the discussions was Japanese automaker Isuzu Motors’ plan to expand across the continent. Isuzu’s South African plant has trialled the manufacture of commercial trucks and truck bodies locally and is engaging with Isuzu Motors Japan on its plans to become a manufacturing hub for the African market.
President Ramaphosa said forums like TICAD are vital to South Africa’s economic diplomacy efforts, which aim to secure market access, attract investment, and reduce reliance on traditional markets at a time of global trade disruptions and tariff pressures.
“Economic diplomacy is an important part of our country’s foreign policy and has become all the more critical at a time of economic headwinds and global power shifts.
“South Africa’s National Interest Framework Policy Document, published in 2022, is clear that it is in the country’s national interest to forge strategic alliances that support economic partnerships and trading arrangements that favour, advance and safeguard our national interest.”
He underscored that South Africa’s foreign policy remains rooted in principle, citing the country’s continued solidarity with Palestine and Western Sahara despite criticism from some nations.
“South Africa’s foreign policy outlook is not determined by pressure exerted by outside forces, but by principle.
“It is on principle that we continue to stand with the Palestinian people in their quest for statehood, recognising as we do the pain of dispossession, land theft and state-sanctioned brutality,” he said.
Peace efforts
The President highlighted that South Africa has lent its support to peace efforts across the continent and beyond.
He pointed to South Africa’s peacebuilding role across the continent, noting that the country is the 15th largest contributor to United Nations (UN) peacekeeping among all UN member states, from supporting the Arusha Peace Accords in Burundi and the South Sudan process to facilitating the Pretoria Agreement that ended the conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.
He also noted that South Africa continues to engage both Russia and Ukraine in pursuit of peace, after joining other African leaders on a peace mission in 2023.
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“These engagements all reflect our commitment to advancing a foreign policy that advances our national interest and reflects the aspirations of our constitution, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN Charter.
“Respect for multilateralism and the pursuit of peace will continue to define our outlook, as will the advancement of social justice and human rights,” he said.
Quoting former President Nelson Mandela, the President said South Africa is “situated at a particular confluence of world affairs” and is uniquely positioned to act as a bridge-builder between the Global South and the developed North.
“For these and other reasons, our approach to diplomacy will continue to be guided by respect for sovereignty, the pursuit of a just and equitable world order, and a firm belief that negotiation and dialogue have a key role to play in the mediation and resolution of conflict,” the President said.
