18 MAY 1999
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
Dr Mills,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to thank you for affording me this opportunity to discuss with you issues related to our broad foreign policy goals and strategies as South Africa prepares to enter the new millennium.
I regard this opportunity as one of importance for a number of reasons:
- There is an urgent need in this country to broaden the interest in and understanding of foreign relations issues and how directly these impact on the attainment of domestic priorities;
- There is a need to develop a broader base of people working in and on foreign policy related matters. This includes academia, journalists, business people and the NGO community;
- The world is becoming increasingly interdependent, complex and open but prone to sudden changes and instabilities. Yet it is only through active participation in this world that any country can hope to meet the demands of
its people. South Africa also needs more people working to understand this New World and the developments taking place in it;
- There is a need to widen and deepen the debate on the issues facing us, inter alia, the democratisation of international relations, in particular the reform of the United Nations and the possible expansion of the United Nations Security Council, to the impact of globalisation on the development and rebirth of our own continent;
- There is a need to deepen the understanding in South Africa of the importance to our country’s success of international relations and the role we have been called upon to play. Too often people question, doubt or dismiss the importance of sound international relations for the attainment of our domestic policies and priorities;
- Our discussions tonight take forward the process of interaction the Department of Foreign Affairs has initiated to allow us to receive new ideas and opinions.
We believe that the process the Department of Foreign Affairs embarked upon at the end of last year and which produced the results of the Heads of Mission Conference held in January this year is a sustainable, deep-rooted and empowering way to ensure that this happens in reality. This process also built upon the numerous workshops and previous Heads of Mission Conferences held by the Department of Foreign Affairs over the past five years.
A debate also ensued a while ago about the need for a "new" foreign policy.
This struck me as strange, as the foreign policy pursued by the Government since 1994 was derived from our Constitution and from overall government policy. A new policy could only be called for if the basis upon which it was built had fundamentally changed. I think we can all agree that this was not the case. It is possible that once people realised that particular foreign policy options chosen by the current government did not always meet their expectations, they called for a new policy. Again I believe that there is no need for any kind of new foreign policy. The numerous achievements by South Africa over the past five years attest to the success of our foreign policy and its implementation. The interlinkages between issues and the necessity to sometimes take a longer-term view meant that certain decisions viewed in isolation and therefore out of context, were questioned. What was needed was to review our policy options, our priorities, our working methods and our strategic choices as a whole to ensure that we can maintain our momentum as we enter the new millennium.
Indeed, South Africa has adopted a very consistent approach to foreign policy issues. This has been possible because certain principles have always been regarded as fundamental to our foreign policy and will remain so in the future. These include:
- Security and quality of life of our people;
- Justice and the rule of international law;
- Non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries;
- Promotion of human rights and democracy;
- Promotion of international peace, including the promotion of political and economic stability;
- Support for Africa’s needs and aspirations;
- The promotion of the economic well-being of the people of the Southern African region.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
While I therefore do not believe in the need to codify our foreign policy nor to somehow create a new foreign policy, I do believe that the debate on these issues has been useful. It has shown that there is an understanding of and interest in what the country has to do internationally and how this must link in to its domestic agenda. It has allowed us to evaluate our actions and choices and it has hopefully educated many along the way. It has also brought into focus the importance of sound foreign policy formulation and execution for the attainment of our national objectives. I now hope that we can move forward together to focus on what we wish to achieve and how we can achieve it. Within this debate I am not only referring to the role of government and in particular the Department of Foreign Affairs, but I am including the role that the private sector and importantly civil society can play. Any country’s foreign policy in essence represents how its domestic values and priorities are translated onto the international stage, and in the modern world non-state actors are starting to play a key role.
It would also be worthwhile at this stage to refer to the international environment within which we operate, and which influences to a large extent the options we choose to achieve our objectives. Much has been written about the demise of the bi-polar world and the emergence of a new world order; of the nature of this new order; of whether its nature and characteristics are as yet fully developed; of the impact of liberalisation and globalisation on countries; of the options and choices that countries, regions, or organisations have or no longer have; and so on. From the coalface I can assure you that the world is indeed a very complex one. Time and again we have witnessed the shortcomings of old ideas to solve new problems or to address new challenges. We have seen how the world is struggling to find the right answers and to respond appropriately to these changes. I would also like to add that South Africa has experienced time and again how countries, organisations and people have looked to us to provide leadership, new ideas and break-through in deadlocked situations.
That we were able to meet these challenges is in no small part due to our particular history, values and domestic experience.
I do not want to expand further at this stage on the international environment facing us. I do however wish to make the point very clearly that we do not yet have enough knowledge and research about how the new world order may develop and which policy options would steer it in a positive or in a negative direction. Already we are seeing the signs of both possibilities emerging. I would call on all of us here tonight, and the other relevant institutions to redouble our efforts to research and analyse all the components of the international environment and to develop new ideas to meet these new challenges. The Department of Foreign Affairs is ready to meet and discuss with you to ensure that our country is properly prepared for the future.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
South Africa went from a pariah state to being a significant player on the world stage in the very short space of five years. This meant we were thrust into immediate action on the international stage, a situation not all of our own choice, but one also dictated to us by the international community because of who we are and what we had achieved domestically. Add to this the fact that when we were re-admitted to the world community, it was at a time of the demise of bipolar politics and the emergence of a changed and extremely complex international order, as well as the fact that domestically the difficult task/ process of creating a new Foreign Ministry was also receiving attention. Against this backdrop we were faced as a Department of Foreign Affairs by a daunting task indeed.
There was very little time to sit down and draw up elaborate plans and strategies to put the policies of the new government into place. We, just as the rest of the country emerging from isolation, had to both plan and execute simultaneously. We were not given time by neither the international community nor our principals to sit quietly and learn from the sidelines.
We were thrust into immediate action and had to learn from our actions. In hindsight we can easily point to wrong options taken in some instances, and possibly to missed opportunities. This would only be natural. But weighed against our myriad achievements internationally, I think we can all agree that in the past five years we have set a commendable track record for ourselves.
Therefore, when the Department of Foreign Affairs set about, at the end of last year, to review its foreign policy goals and strategies, it was done in order to take stock of the last five years and to prepare us for the new millennium. From the experience gained and lessons learnt we were able to review our positions in the world and to plan accordingly. At the same time, we critically reviewed our methods of work, internal structures and cost factors with the view to a fully revamped Foreign Ministry.
Essentially what we set about doing was to ensure that the process of transformation of the civil service was properly implemented in our Department. This involved the full complement of our staff; a review of all our activities; linking resources to outputs; and ensuring that every staff member understood the process and how he or she could contribute to its success. Transformation is not only about race, colour or gender - it is about efficiency and effectiveness, about empowering our officials to make the right choices and doing the right thing in the best way.
The key for us as we set out to refine our goals and strategies was the fact that foreign policy is nothing other than the pursuit of domestic policies and priorities internationally. It was also about emphasising the fact that the Department of Foreign Affairs does not only represent itself abroad, but that it represents the interests of the country as whole; the priorities of all other government agencies and departments.
We often hear that having relations with certain countries or organisations is important, without any quantification of the value to South Africa. It has also been argued that some of our relations are too expensive and the money should rather be spent at home, without any indication of a clear understanding of the implications for South Africa of such suggestions. In our review process we set about ensuring that every cent spent was both necessary and worthwhile. Indeed, while the budget we have at the moment has forced us to question every item of expenditure and garner substantial savings by redirecting expenditure to where it is really necessary, maintaining effective foreign relations is not inexpensive. This issue was raised this year in no uncertain terms by both the Minister and myself in Parliament. Ensuring that there is a proper appreciation of the key role of foreign relations in achieving domestic priorities must continue to be a priority for all of us.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our review process found that our bilateral and multilateral relations should be informed by specific themes which would guide us in the development of sound political relations. The issues we identified do not form an exhaustive list, nor should they. They represent critical issues we feel we can make a contribution to. They also represent those issues we can support through effective international interaction. Furthermore, it ensures that every member of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the staff of other Departments abroad, has a common understanding of our focus areas and essentially of the reasons why they are stationed abroad to do the jobs they have been assigned to do. Developing good relations with a country, with its leaders, its political establishment, its opposition groupings, its business community, its civil society and its public is therefore done in pursuit of specific goals. The sowing of the seed and the harvesting of the crop require time, patience and nurturing. I could say that conducting foreign relations is not about instant gratification or results. It is about diligent, consistent work, which will create the correct atmosphere for the desired results. During his budget speech, Minister Nzo summed up South Africa’s attitude to effective diplomacy when he said, and I quote
"The most important and valuable lesson which we have learnt from the last five years has been that diplomacy is not about quick fixes. Diplomacy is also not a popularity contest. Diplomacy is about achieving lasting solutions to problems and building sustainable benefits for our country and region."
Equally, the impact South Africa has on multilateral diplomacy and the creation of a rules-based international system of interaction between states contributes to our domestic agenda. The setting of international standards and rules, the creation of transparent trading and other systems and ensuring that no single country or group of countries can dominate world affairs against the interests of the smaller and weaker countries all creates an environment within which growth and development can take place.
From our bilateral and multilateral profile comes the ability to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and stability and security. Many examples already exist of our role in this field. Again this can have a direct bearing on the attainment of our domestic policies, particularly when our involvement is directed at our own region and continent.
So, what then are the areas we have set out to focus our attention on?
To start with, we identified that South Africa’s national interest revolves around two broad themes, namely the creation of wealth for the country and all her people, and secondly ensuring the security of the country and all her people. Each one of these themes was then examined to identify the key areas where the Department of Foreign Affairs can play a supportive role.
Many of these areas are in fact the line function responsibility of other
government departments domestically, but form part of the overall responsibilities of the Department of Foreign Affairs, when pursued internationally.
Turning to the creation of wealth theme, it was clear that the process of globalisation and the way in which countries integrate in this changing environment will ultimately determine whether countries will succeed in the modern economy. But even more than just being an economic force, the process of globalisation has very marked political processes associated with it as well. These have to date, however, been rather neglected as the debate and focus was on the economic impact of globalisation. South Africa’ s will have to ensure that its interaction with this process is informed by a total understanding of the concept and what it holds for us. It is also clear that this is not just an unstoppable juggernaut. It is a process, which can and must be influenced to ensure that the negative consequences be kept to the minimum and that countries can take full advantage of the opportunities afforded.
One of the key priorities of our missions abroad has become the overall expansion of our trade relations. In particular becoming less reliant on our traditional trading partners and developing relationships with other parts of the globe, as well as ensuring that South Africa becomes an exporter of beneficiated products. Coupled to this is of course assisting in obtaining the necessary amounts of foreign investment. For a middle-sized developing country such as South Africa, it is also important that we maintain the flow of aid from our development partners to ensure that our domestic reconstruction programme is kept on track.
The nature of our country dictates that we maintain a strong focus on environment and marine issues in pursuit of sustainable development. We cannot allow either the creation of international rules and obligations, which will hinder our development, nor can we allow for the continued destruction of the environment through unsustainable practices, committed by both developed and developing countries. The nature of our country also means that we must focus on the development of international tourism to the country, as well as on the sourcing of the necessary capacity building, training and resource flows to help develop this important sector.
Successful development will also depend to a great deal on the ability to create the necessary human resources in South Africa to carry the process forward. Only through education and capacity development will we be able to utilise our strong arts and culture sector to the full, and only through the development of a vibrant science and technology sector will we be able to generate the necessary value-added component to our economy.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This brings me to the potential threats to South Africa’s development. Crime is an ever-present factor in our country, but we are not alone in this struggle. The experiences of other countries and the expertise of the United Nations is readily at hand to assist us in our efforts. Our task is to ensure that the necessary international support is forthcoming.
Of a more international nature is the problem of illegal migration. This is present throughout the world and usually when the relative prosperity of a neighbour or group of countries acts as a strong magnet. While the economic development and social fabric of receiving countries must be protected, the push-factors causing such migration must be addressed effectively. South Africa is an active participant in ensuring that international standards exist to deal with such migration. We are also committed in our own region to create the example that spreading development and economic prosperity throughout a region is more effective than draconian border controls. The nature of the emerging world order dictates against the sustainability of countries living in isolation of their neighbours.
These concerns are amplified when we view the serious and ongoing threats to the human security of the people of our region. I feel this is an issue which requires our immediate attention and further study from all role-players, due to the nature of the problem and the wide variety of issues which impact on the deterioration of human security. Too many examples exist of the changed nature of conflicts today, both inter-state and importantly intra-state, and their impact on the populations caught up in the fighting or in the refugee flood that ensues. To this we should add the almost universal increase in poverty and marginalisation of people within countries who have not been able to protect themselves from the sudden changes brought about by economic and structural changes forced on to countries. Factors which further undermine human security include threats to health, food supplies, the environment and personal, community and political freedom. We need to build an understanding of how to improve the human security of our people by effectively addressing each one of these factors, whether during periods of conflict or not. The commitment to establishing an International Criminal Court and the Landmine Ban Treaty are two examples where the overwhelming majority of the world community has agreed to address these threats to human security. We also need to understand that there can be no security in a country if the plight of its poorest is not addressed.
Of critical concern to South Africa remains our commitment to the resolution of disputes by peaceful means. This commitment is informed by our own recent history which taught us that negotiation and the peaceful resolution of differences is the only viable path to stability and prosperity. South Africa will continue to work tirelessly for peace in our region, and elsewhere as is deemed appropriate. The single greatest contributor to the growth and development prospects of any country or region is peace and stability. This work is more often than not arduous, conducted over a lengthy period of time, prone to setbacks, and subject to a high degree of confidentiality. Our efforts in Angola, the DRC and the Comoros continue unabated. Our continent is littered with too many examples of the tragic consequences of civil and other conflicts. We remain convinced that lasting solutions to conflicts can never be achieved by military means, and the longer such conflicts are dragged out due to the intransigence of all or some of the parties involved, the greater the human suffering that ensues.
I have already referred to South Africa’s active participation in issues of peace and security. Nuclear arms races and the threats posed by weapons of mass destruction continue to stifle potential for growth and development in many regions of the world. Far too many resources continue to be absorbed by destructive posturing. However, for us there are much more immediate and dangerous threats. We have moved a long way to address in an effective manner the scourge of anti-personnel landmines, which affects our region and continent’s ability to stabilise and grow, as it should. While we will continue to focus on this issue, we have decided to turn our attention to the threat posed by the millions of small arms floating around our continent, our region and in our own country. This must be the next target of the international community. Nothing undermines a country’s stability like the easy access to arms, whether legal or illegal.
I would now like to turn to an issue which we regard as being of equal importance to both wealth creation and security, namely the pursuit of human rights, democracy, good governance and transparency. South Africa rightly has a proud track record in this field. However, the past five years have educated us on how the international community and some of its more powerful members continue to blow hot and cold on issues of human rights. The past five years have also taught us that it is in this area more than any other that the wrong tactics and strategies can undermine the goals that you had set yourselves. While being more committed than ever to the promotion of human rights, we are much the wiser in how to attain our objectives.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As I said this is not an exhaustive list, but one which we feel contains the elements to which we can contribute by bringing the international community into play. As a last point I wish to touch briefly upon the countries and regions we will interact with. Africa remains our primary focus area, with our own region (SADC) in the forefront. No matter what we set out to achieve, this will not be possible if we do not carry the interests of our own continent forward, nor if we neglect to help solve the problems still bedevilling parts of our continent. Naturally the rest of the South, both to the west and east of us, is of importance. We will, in fact, be focusing on expanding our relations in all of those regions. South Africa has had, and will continue to have sound and close relations with the industrialised North. The wealth is still concentrated there, and international consensus cannot be built without them. However, as the latest Yugoslav crisis has shown, we are not prepared to stand by because of their power or potential investments and see a handful of countries undermine the authority of international institutions we all rely on to attempt to achieve a quick-fix to a very complex situation. South Africa has in the past, and will continue in the future to act in a manner, which it can defend, and not in a manner prescribed by specific groupings or ideologies.
In closing I would therefore wish to make only one point, namely that there is nothing new or radical in what the Department of Foreign Affairs set out to do when it embarked on this latest planning process. All we did was to ensure that we are still on the right track and that we have the capacity in the future to make adjustments as needed and to use our resources to the maximum effect.
I wish to thank you for your attention and would welcome any questions you may have.
Thank you.