Media Statement

Introduction

In pursuing its International Relations and Cooperation objectives, the African National Congress (ANC) is informed by the Freedom Charter wherein we stated that: “There shall be Peace and Friendship.” This principle is founded on the African Claims that we adopted in 1943, and other successive National Conference Declarations that have reinforced our role on the International stage.

Our view of the world is based on the founding principles, as indicated in the Freedom Charter: a world in which there is respect for the right to national sovereignty of all nations; and the pursuit of world peace and friendship and not wars. We remain committed to a better Africa, free from the shackles of under- development and the legacy of colonialism. As such, we will continue to advance our progressive internationalism and solidarity around the world.

As we progress on this journey, South Africa’s national interests are at the heart of our strategic ambitions. Our International Relations and cooperation focus areas aim to form and sustain friendships, work towards peace, stability and economic development in the continent and the world.

In 1990, our stalwart and former ANC President, Comrade Oliver Tambo reminded us that “The fight for freedom must go on until it is won; until our country is free and happy and peaceful as part of the community of man, we cannot rest…”

Therefore, the ANC continues to see International Relations as a key platform to advance and create a better world for all citizens.
We remain committed to the founding values of our struggle, and whose aim remains the attainment of a humane, just, equitable and democratic world.

It is against this backdrop that the ANC has convened an International Relations Strategic Retreat under the theme, ‘A reflection on the ANC’s commitment to Progressive Internationalism in a changing global environment’. This retreat takes place at a pivotal moment, given the current domestic and global balance of forces. We paused to reflect on 30 years of South Africa’s and the ANC’s foreign policy implementation of progressive internationalism.

Domestically, the ANC suffered an electoral setback and negotiated a government of national unity (GNU) to enable South Africa to move forward. Globally the world is in the throes of a polycrisis, characterised by instability, fragility, conflict, injustice and insecurity. In this context, the countries of the Global South push for a more multipolar, multi-cultural and multi-civilizational world order away from the current unipolar disorder.

The Retreat agreed that for the ANC to reflect on the global situation and South Africa’s place within it, it is not a once-off event but rather the beginning of a much larger process of internal introspection of where we are, who we are and the tenets and principles of our progressive internationalism. The theme of the retreat spoke directly to the global challenges, threats and opportunities facing us.

2. The ANC & International Relations in the Transitional Period (1994) Foreign Policy Objectives, Challenges and achievements.

In his Keynote address to the Retreat, Cde Thabo Mbeki reminded us that the ANC’s foreign policy posture, evolving over more than a century of its existence, is underpinned by two equally important principles, namely Pan-Africanism and anti-imperialism, in the context of the struggles against apartheid and colonialism. These principles evolved during different stages of struggle and shaped South Africa’s foreign policy in the democratic era. Our international relations were further underpinned by international solidarity as a key pillar of struggle.

The ANC in this context, mobilised across the world, through its representative offices and other engagements, the largest global movement against apartheid. At the time of South Africa’s transition, ANC

had one of the most extensive global foreign policy footprints, as well as international standing. The footprint included strong relations across the Cold War divide, in the context of its non-alignment position, as a participant to the 1955 Bandung Conference, which formed the Non-Aligned Movement. The ANC also participated at the founding Conferences of the Pan African Women’s Organisation in 1962 and of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963.

After 1994, the aforementioned principles of Pan Africanism and anti-imperialist posture remained the core principlesofourpostdemocraticforeignpolicy. Thus,withtheliberationofSouthAfrica,theAfricaAgenda became a core priority for South Africa, along with its integration as part of the global humanity of nations, joining the OAU, the United Nations, Commonwealth, Southern African Development Community(SADC), G77 amongst other international organisations and treaties.

The reflections on the 30 years of ANC’s foreign policy, deliberated on the ebbs and flows of foreign policy over this period, with continuities and discontinuities. South Africa has historically played a critical role in Africa’s peace and stability, and conflict resolution in Burundi, Nigeria, DRC, Central African Republic, East Timor, Northern Ireland, Sri Lanka, the Sudan, Cote d’Ivoire, and Guinea. Further advocating for solidarity and seeking peace and just resolutions in Western Sahara and Palestine, and other struggles such as an end to the illegal Cuban blockade.

The Retreat acknowledged that towards the later decade, our coherent approach to the African Agenda lost momentum, and we see it in the pushback of Africa’s influence and sovereignty.

The Retreat confirmed that in this complex continental and geo-political environment, the ANC must continue to maintain and advocate for its progressive internationalist posture based on the following strategic issues:

• South Africa remains committed to the principles of solidarity; human rights; anti- colonialism; anti-imperialism; African unity; Pan-Africanism; and contribution towards a stronger capable SADC and the African Union (AU). Using these principles, South Africa is able to identify partners to collaborate in the pursuit of its foreign policy.

• Tackling poverty, inequality and underdevelopment, as well as common global challenges such as climate change, patriarchy and pandemics,

• Multilateralism and multipolar, multicultural and multi civilizational global governance and institutions,

• Strengthen our Humanitarian support to Palestine & Western Sahara,

• Active non-alignment (ANA) in global affairs,

• Strengthened coordination of solidarity campaigns on the upliftment of the Cuba economic blockade.

• The sustainable and peaceful resolutions of conflict and the principle of non-interference.

3. Conclusion: What must Done

The Retreat therefore reflected on what needs to be done, to ensure the renewal of the African Agenda as centre piece of our international relations, and South Africa’s influence in the global arena. The Retreat identified the following priority areas for action:

1. Embark on a process towards the renewal of the African Agenda through firstly through strengthening South Africa’s role in the current context, including our role in continental institutions such as SADC, the African Union and its organs and agencies, facilitating South Africans to take up the quota in global and continental institutions, and strengthening both technical and diplomatic capacity of DIRCO, including the establishment of a foreign policy think tank. In this regard, the Retreat noted that South Africa has a rich reservoir of experienced international relations practitioners, as well as think tanks and academic institutions. We must however be more deliberate about the development of intergenerational knowledge and groom new generations of foreign policy cadres. South Africa also needs to strengthen support to AU and other multilateral institutions hosted and based in our country.

2. The ANC’s role in the African Agenda is equally critical, through party to party relationships, with liberation movements as well as emerging progressive parties and civil society.

3. We must also work towards strengthening the Pan African women’s, The revival of the African youth movements, students, trade union, cultural, business, farmers and other sectors, so that they play their rightful role in African development and institutions.

4. Ensure that South Africa adopts a more seamless, coherent approach towards various regional institutions of the South such as the NAM, BRICS, IBSA, IORA,ASEAN, CELAC, G77, etc, strengthening our approach to their mission and purpose, and concrete programmes to ensure concrete areas of cooperation and interventions to give effect to our common aspirations and development.

5. In its push for a more just, equitable, humane, democratic, peaceful and inclusive global political, financial and economic order, including its architecture and institutions and organisations such as the UNGA, UNSC, WTO, IMF, WB , ICC and so forth .

6. The Retreat kickstarted a sustained series of similar engagements by the ANC International Relations Committee with experts and practitioners, as well as provincial structures and the Alliance on international matters, with a view towards the renewal of our African and global agendas.

The Retreat Session therefore called on the ANC’s commitment to renewal to include the commitment to anti-imperialism and Pan-Africanism. Our national interest and the African Agenda are complementary, and key to our mission is to work with the masses of our people and the motive forces, to tackle head-on the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

We must build a better ANC so it can build a better South Africa, better Africa and better world.