If South Africans continue to use rhetoric as a sledgehammer to discredit their country, this can only be done to the country’s detriment, opening itself to being a laughingstock of other nations.
Answering questions at the Black Business Council Annual Summit, which is taking place at the Radisson Hotel OR Tambo Hotel, Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor said there is a need for South Africans to change “our ethos” if we are to earn the respect of others and achieve progress.
Optimistic about country’s economic and political diplomacy
“We beat down our country with our rhetoric; our own rhetoric about our country needs to change. If we constantly criticise our country, we are letting ourselves down,” Pandor said. she added that despite differences, there was no need to thrive on negativity.
However, Pandor said she was optimistic about the country’s economic and political diplomacy prospects.
She said since the dawn of freedom and democracy in 1994, the country has enjoyed an “impressive international relations journey” worldwide. It made important contributions to all the international multilateral bodies that matter, including the United Nations.
She said the development of human rights culture at the outset of democracy is well entrenched. And as the department, they have sought to leave no stone unturned to project the country as steeped in Pan-Africanism and, by extension, identifying with the continent.
International solidarity
Also crucial, said Pandor, is that the country places international solidarity at the centre of the country’s relations with other nations. This as it relates to economics and politics, and takes pride of the “footprint South Africa has had internationally”.
Quoting former president Nelson Mandela, Pandor said: “South Africa cannot escape its African destiny”. She added that the relations the country has with Africa are on solid ground. The minister said that in Ghana alone, “South Africa has a presence of 224 companies doing business in Ghana”. These are creating jobs and other opportunities for the citizens of Ghana.
“This shows our Pan-Africanism posture which we pride ourselves with,” she said.
She said this was the commitment South Africa is showing. It is displaying that it is serious in its intention “to advance the African agenda”.
On the United Nations, Pandor said the country has a healthy relation with the organisation. But there is no denying that “the United Nations needs a radical change”, she added.
“We do not seek to replace the United Nations,” she said. She added that Africa needs to fully participate in the UN Security Council, something that is presently not the case.
Pandor told the delegates that Brics, which will be chaired by Russia this year, was an important international instrument. It is projected to contribute about 50% of the gross domestic product in the region by 2030.
Brics and de-dollarisation
On the question of the de-dollarisation, Pandor said at this stage this was not something Brics was considering.
“We are not there yet. Any financial administration must be properly thought through, and Brics must undertake research on this question,” she said. She also added that the centrality of local currency is something that should not be lost.
Russia is to host Brics Summit sometime this year.
