anc International Relations: A Better Africa In A Better ... · ngc 2015 discussion documents 159...

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NGC 2015 DISCUSSION DOCUMENTS 159 ANC INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: A BETTER AFRICA IN A BETTER AND JUST WORLD INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 7 INTRODUCTION 1. The ANC celebrates the 60th Anniversary of the Freedom Charter in 2015. Encompassed within the Charter is the clause “There shall be peace and friendship” which is central to the implementation of the ANC International Relations policy. 2. The ANC, our Alliance partners and the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM) are gearing themselves in preparation for the forthcoming National General Council to be held later this year. 3. The NGC is a constitutional gathering whose overall strategic mandate is to evaluate the organisational progress report, to review and consolidate new policy proposals, and more importantly to appraise the role of our National Liberation Movement into the future. 4. The ANC is revolutionary national liberation movement which is an integral part of the international revolutionary movement to liberate humanity from the bondage of imperialism and neo colonialism. 5. Over the years of our struggle for liberation, our political, economic and ideological ethos has been based on our revolutionary principles of internationalism and solidarity.Our historic mission is to build a better Africa and a better World that is humane, just, equitable, democratic, and free. 6. Our cadres have to appreciate that the international relations question is the most complex terrain of struggle.It is primarily about power and hegemony. 7. At the heart of this important question is how we locate our national interest within the unfolding world realities. Our foremost immediate task is to expand the influence of our nation state as part of the common effort to transform the world into a better place for humanity. 8. The NGC provides an important platform to expand our horizons in this complex terrain of our struggle. The premise is to build a special cadre of the ANC capable of taking forward the objectives of the second phase of our transition for socio economic transformation of our society in the context of our international relations. 9. We therefore present to our structures and membership this discussion document, which seeks to analyse the international balance of forces, and the extent to which they impact on our own specific concrete material conditions as a country and the continent. 2. CHARACTERISATION OF THE WORLD TODAY 1. The world has become an arena of protracted struggle characterized by legacies spanning thousands of years. The panorama of nationalities, languages, cultures and traditions characterizing the theatre of the world gives credence to the popular song “Yinde Lendlela Esiyihambayo’ (It is a long journey that we traverse) 2. What remains important is our endless contribution to this historic task of human development. The guiding strategy is our political, economic and ideological basis for taking certain principled positions in the midst of these most complex world realities. 3. One of the important tasks of our National Democratic Revolution (NDR) is to grapple with the demands of the ever-changing complex world’s material conditions. Our theoretical understanding of the world is derived from the traditions of our movement of the analysis of the balance of forces. 4. The balance of forces is about our understanding

Transcript of anc International Relations: A Better Africa In A Better ... · ngc 2015 discussion documents 159...

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ANC INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: A BETTER AFRICA IN A BETTER

AND JUST WORLD

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 7

INTRODUCTION1. The ANC celebrates the 60th Anniversary of the

Freedom Charter in 2015. Encompassed withintheCharteristheclause“There shall be peace and friendship” whichiscentraltotheimplementationoftheANCInternationalRelationspolicy.

2. The ANC, our Alliance partners and the MassDemocratic Movement (MDM) are gearingthemselves in preparation for the forthcomingNationalGeneralCounciltobeheldlaterthisyear.

3. TheNGCisaconstitutionalgatheringwhoseoverallstrategicmandateistoevaluatetheorganisationalprogress report, to review and consolidate newpolicyproposals,andmoreimportantlytoappraisetheroleofourNationalLiberationMovementintothefuture.

4. The ANC is revolutionary national liberationmovement which is an integral part of theinternational revolutionary movement to liberatehumanity from the bondage of imperialism andneocolonialism.

5. Over the years of our struggle for liberation, ourpolitical, economic and ideological ethos hasbeen based on our revolutionary principles ofinternationalismandsolidarity.OurhistoricmissionistobuildabetterAfricaandabetterWorldthatishumane,just,equitable,democratic,andfree.

6. Ourcadreshavetoappreciatethattheinternationalrelations question is the most complex terrain ofstruggle.Itisprimarilyaboutpowerandhegemony.

7. Attheheartofthisimportantquestionishowwelocate our national interest within the unfoldingworldrealities.Ourforemost immediatetask istoexpandtheinfluenceofournationstateaspartofthecommoneffort to transformtheworld intoabetterplaceforhumanity.

8. TheNGCprovidesanimportantplatformtoexpandourhorizonsinthiscomplexterrainofourstruggle.ThepremiseistobuildaspecialcadreoftheANCcapable of taking forward the objectives of thesecondphaseofourtransitionforsocioeconomictransformationofoursocietyinthecontextofourinternationalrelations.

9. We therefore present to our structures andmembership this discussion document, whichseekstoanalysetheinternationalbalanceofforces,andtheextenttowhichtheyimpactonourownspecificconcretematerialconditionsasacountryandthecontinent.

2. CHARACTERISATION OF THE WORLD TODAY

1. The world has become an arena of protractedstruggle characterized by legacies spanningthousandsofyears.Thepanoramaofnationalities,languages, cultures and traditions characterizingthe theatre of the world gives credence to thepopularsong“Yinde Lendlela Esiyihambayo’ (Itisalongjourneythatwetraverse)

2. Whatremainsimportantisourendlesscontributionto this historic task of human development. Theguiding strategy is our political, economic andideological basis for taking certain principledpositionsinthemidstofthesemostcomplexworldrealities.

3. One of the important tasks of our NationalDemocraticRevolution(NDR)istograpplewiththedemands of the ever-changing complex world’smaterialconditions.Ourtheoreticalunderstandingof theworld isderived fromthetraditionsofourmovementoftheanalysisofthebalanceofforces.

4. Thebalanceofforcesisaboutourunderstanding

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of the concrete analysis of the dynamic worldmaterial conditions and how they impact on ourownparticularconditions.Itisimperativetograspthe complexities of the world environment andthe extent to which they influence the pace andthedirectionoftheNDR.

5. The dialectic relationship between theory andpractice in the struggle for the transformationof society is important for various reasons. Ofimportance to this dialectical relationship is thenotionthattheorywithoutpracticeissterile.

6. ThistheoreticalformulationisaffirmedbyVladimirLenin when he maintains that, “revolutionary scientific theory is the weapon to make us judge and define the methods of struggle correctly. It is a weapon that helps us analyse and understand correctly the cause of development of human society at every moment, to analyse and understand correctly every turning point of society and to carry out the revolutionary transformation of society”.

7. Our historic conjuncture of the 1994 democraticbreakthroughtookplaceagainstthebackdropofeventsoffarreachingpoliticalsignificance.Thesehistoriceventschangedthetheatreofthebalanceofforcesintheworld.

8. The democratic breakthrough took place againstthe backdrop of the demise of socialism in theSoviet Union and the Eastern European states. Adefining moment, which caught the imaginationoftheworld,atthetime,wasthefalloftheBerlinWall,whichseparatedtheEastfromWestGermany.

9. The sudden collapse of socialism in the worldalteredcompletelythebalanceofforcesinfavourofimperialism.Itusheredinanewworldhegemoniceraofglobalsocioeconomicagendaofcapitalismandfreemarketimperatives.

10. Theworldisnavigatingthroughacomplexperiodofatransitionfromabipolar intoan increasinglycontested unipolar world led by the US.There isstill an increased contestation of ideas betweenthetwopreviouslyopposinghegemonicsystemsoftheworld.

11. Ourtransitiontodemocracyistakingplaceagainstthebackdropofaglobaleconomybuttressedbytheworseglobaleconomiccrisisatanytimesincethe 1930s. The world economy is underpinnedby growing features of poverty, disease andunderdevelopment.

12. The world economic meltdown has led to

increasing destabilization of regions outsidethe West and generated new conflicts. This iscompoundedbydeclininginternationalsolidarity,which is decreasing the ability of multilateralorganisations to develop solutions to global andregionalconflicts.

13. There is a fundamental need to appreciate therealitythatwearetakingforwardthetasksofourrevolution under the most complex and fragileconditions dominated by the world industrialmilitarycomplex.Theglobaleconomictrajectoryisonapathtoservetheinterestsoftheinternationalmonopolycapital.

14. Imperialismhasplungedhumanityinaperpetualsocio-economic crisis. The high levels ofpoverty, inequality, unemployment, disease andunderdevelopment confirm our long held viewthatthecapitalistmarketeconomycannotresolveitsowncontradictions.

15. Western economies have become the epicenteroftheworldfinancialcrisis.MostoftheEUnationstateswerecompelledbytheworseningeconomicconditionstoimposeharshausteritymeasuresthatsawhugecutsonsocialspending,privatizationofkeysectorsoftheeconomy,highlevelsofinflation,decreased standards of living and increasinginequalitiesandunderdevelopment.

16. Theincreasinglevelofincomeinequalitiesamongstandwithinmostoftheworldnationstatesremainsa serious challenge. Statistics indicate that morethan 870 million people in the world everydaysleep without food. At the same time 1% of theworldpopulationowns50%ofthewealth.

17. The deteriorating world economic crisis has atremendous adverse effect on the economy ofour country and therefore our revolutionaryprogramme for radical socio-economictransformation.

18. Despite our achievements since the democraticbreakthrough in 1994, our people are still facingthe structural consequences of the apartheidcolonial realities oppression and exploitation.Our people bear the brunt of poverty, inequality,unemployment, disease, and underdevelopmentwhich is still the principal characteristic of oursociety.

19. Thequestionweneedtoaskourselvesiswhetherwe have been able to consolidate the posture ofourforeignpolicyinthecontinentandtheworldto advance our national interest? In other words

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how do we distinguish our analysis of the worldbalance of forces and how they impact on ourforeignpolicyperspective?

20. Our sphere of influence is underpinned by ourunderstanding of the global economic powerrelations.Of importancearewheretocommencewith our theoretical formulation of our nationalinterestfromtheworldperspectiveingeneralandourcountryinparticular.

21. One of the crucial questions is whether we areable to use the opportunities we enjoy in theinternational relations platforms to advance theobjectivesofournational interest.Of importancedowerelatetoourunderstandingoftheprinciplesof internationalism and solidarity to achieve thefundamentalobjectivesofournationaldemocraticrevolution?

22. Ouranswertothisquestionwillhelpusexpandoursphereofinfluencewithintheinternationalarena.Thereforeourmainobjectiveistoconsolidatetheleadershiproleofourcountrywithintherealmsoftheinternationalworld.

23. The main objective of our revolution is to createprospects for meaningful participation of themajority of our people into the mainstreameconomy.Therefore ours is the transformation ofour economy in a manner that responds to thedemands of the overwhelming majority of thepeopleofourcountry.

24. Our perspective on human solidarity andinternationalism has informed the role of SouthAfricaontheinternationalplatform.Ourapproachisinformedbyourstruggletocreateaworld,whichisabetterplaceforallhumanity.

25. Ourstrategicapproachistostrengthenmultilateralinstitutions such as the SADC, AU and the UN toachieve the overall objectives of creating a just,equitableandhumaneworld.

26. HistoryisatestimonythattheUSeffectivelyusingitsaggressiveforeignpolicytoadvanceitsnationalinterests.Inmostinstancesithasbeensupportingundemocratic changes of government as aninstrumenttoserveitsglobalagenda.

27. But on the contrary, lack of democracy has beenused as an excuse for US intervention in areaswhere its national interests are under threat.Nationalinteresthasbecomeanimportantfactorindeterminingtheworldbalanceofforces.

28. While the economic situation described above

presents a gloomy picture, the rise of emergingeconomies led by China in the world economyhas heralded a new dawn of hope for furtherpossibilitiesofanewworldorder.

29. In the past twenty years of our democraticdispensation, we have witnessed an increasedgrowthoftraderelationsbetweenourcountryandthePeopleRepublicofChina.China–SouthAfricatradeandinvestmenthasbeenonapedestalbothquantitativelyandqualitatively.

30. ThetradevolumesbetweenChinaandSouthAfricahave far surpassed the value of USD $400billionin this current year. But whilst we appreciate thisphenomenalgrowth,morehastobedone.

31. Our economic relations have grown in leaps andbounds into investment and beneficiation ofboth our industrial and manufacturing goods.We therefore have to use the opportunities ofthese great economic prospects between ourtwoeconomiestobuildthefriendshipofourtwopeople.

32. China economic development trajectory remainsa leading example of the triumph of humanityoveradversity.TheexemplaryroleofthecollectiveleadershipoftheCommunistPartyofChinainthisregard should be a guiding lodestar of our ownstruggle.

33. TheriseofChinaasthesecondstrongesteconomy,with the re-emergence of economies of Russia,and major countries of the South, is graduallyredefining the world towards a multi-polar order.Therefore, the growing influence of China on theglobal economy is an important factor in thebalanceofglobalpowerrelations.

34. Further giving credence to “shifting balance of forces”, as opposed to static observation, of thedominantUSledunipolarworld,istheemergenceofBRICSconstitutedbyBrazil,Russia, India,Chinaand South Africa. The formation of BRICS as apowerful political and socio economic bloc isnecessarilynotjustaboutthesizeofthepopulationof the member states but also the abundance oftherequisitemarkets.

35. What has become clear is that the formation ofBRICS was a conscious political decision to rollbackthepost-WorldWarIIWashingtonConsensus.The formation of the BRICS Bank and the AsianInfrastructure Investment Bank will have a far-reachingimpactonthedevelopmenttrajectoryoftheworldinstitutionssuchastheWorldBankandtheInternationalMonetaryFund.

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36. Our understanding of the fragile worldenvironmentisimportantforthesuccessofBRICSas a regional power block. Of importance is toensurethatweguardthismilestoneachievementagainst centrality of the Washington Consensus.As progressive forces our immediate task is toconstantly work towards building an alternativeworldthatwouldcreatea fair, just,equitableandbetterenvironmentforallthepeopleoftheworld.

37. The US does not appreciate the resurgence ofChinaandRussiaasdominantfactorsinthearenaof international power relations. It has insteaddeclared a cold war against these two emergingworldpowers.

38. Its destabilisation strategy against China is onthreefronts:

■ The US is bent on portraying China as theworld’s worst polluter and a threat to theenvironment with the intention being tosuggestthatChinaisbutapapertigerwhoseeconomicriseisnotsustainable.

■ The US, backed by its ideological apparatus,has tried a repeat of the Tiananmen Squareagainst the Chinese government by paradingto the world counter revolution as a popularuprisingandcounterrevolutionariesashumanrightsactivists.

■ The US is exploiting China’s dispute withsome of its Asian neighbours over the Northand South China Sea islands to rally theseneighbours against China, including trying tobuild an anti-China alliance of Asian satellitestatesthatwilltakeitsordersfromWashington.

39. Russia has not been spared the wrath of US-ledWestern imperialism. As with China, the Russianleadership is constantly being portrayed in theWesternmediaandofficialdiscourseasmonstersabusing human rights. As with China, counterrevolutionary demonstrations and marches arebeing staged and given huge publicity in theWesternmediainordertodestabiliseand/provoketheRussiangovernment.

40. Whatever genuine concerns may exist within theRussian population and populations of formerSovietUnion,thereisaclearplottoexploitthisinordertocontaintheriseofRussiaglobally.Itisanencirclementstrategy thatseeks to isolateRussiainthemannerthatisbeingattemptedonChinaaswell.

41. ThisisthecontextwithinwhichthecrisisinUkraine

should be understood by the world progressiveforces. The war taking place in Ukraine is notaboutUkraine.ItsintendedtargetisRussia.AswithChina, Russia’s neighbours are being mobilisedto adopt a hostile posture against Moscow, andenticed to join the European Union and NATO.Pro-Westsatellitestatesarebeingcultivatedoraswe saw with the coup in Ukraine, even invented,to encircle Russia and allow their territory to beusedforthedeploymentofNATO’shostilemilitaryhardware faced in the direction of Russia. TheseWestern manoeuvres, directed from Washington,are reminiscent of ColdWar.They have vowed inWashington that there will be Russia or China tochallengetheUShegemony.

42. Washington’s sponsored destabilisation is notlimitedtoRussiaandChina.WeseeitunfoldinginthestreetsofLatinAmericaincludinginVenezuelawhichtheUShasstrangelydeclaredathreattoits“national security”,intheMiddleEastandinAfricancountries with the sole intention of toppling aprogressive democratically-elected governments.Thishasabearingonthenatureofconflictandthescourgeofterrorismweseeintheworldtoday.

43. The South has been rising in a manner thatpromises to alter the international balance ofpowerandofferopportunitiesfortheemergenceofapost-WesternworldorderandWashingtonisin a fighting mood to ensure that this does nothappen.

3. THE STRUGGLE FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION AND REINDUSTRIALISATION OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT

1. ThisyearthepeopleoftheAfricancontinentandtheworldmarkedthe51stanniversarycelebrationsoftheformationoftheOrganisationofAfricanUnity(OAU). The OAU is the most important politicalinstrumentusedovertheyearsofourstruggletoacceleratetheprocessof thedecolonializationofthecontinent.

2. TheOAU,whichisnowtheAfricanUnion(AU),hasplayedamuchsignificantpoliticalleadershiproleinthestruggleofourpeopleagainst imperialismand colonial domination. The AU continues tooccupy the forefront trenches of our struggleto build a better Africa from the shambles ofimperialismandneo-colonialism.

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3. African leaders have identified industrializationas central to the development of the continent.Developmental integration as a radical approachtointegrationisimperativeforouroverallstrategyto build the economic base of continentalintegration.

4. Promoting developmental integration acrossthe existing Regional Economic Communitiesculminating in the eventual establishment ofa continental Free Trade Area is a commonendeavouragreedbythecontinent.

5. The integration of the African regional blocksandmultilateralstructures remainat theheartofensuring that our continent occupies its rightfulpositioninthearenaoftheglobalsocio-economicpowerrelations.Unityandcohesionofthepeopleofourcontinentisabackboneofourinternationalrelationspolicy.

6. This will assist to unite the African continentagainstthesuperficialdesignsmanifestincolonialboundariesandregionalblocs.Thefragmentationof the African continent was a result of theresolutionsoftheBerlinConferenceof1884-5.

7. Our focus is to accelerate the political, social andeconomic integration of our continent. There isaneedtocontinuestrengtheningthecapacityoftheAfricanUnion(AU),itsinstitutionsandRegionalEconomicCommunities.

8. Ourmovementhasbeenconsistentinitsstrategicapproach of ensuring that African developmentremains at the center of the world developmentagenda.At theheartof thisstrategicapproach isthedevelopmentofitsgovernancearchitectureatcontinentalandregionallevel.

9. Centuriesofcolonialoppressionandexploitationhave left our continent at the periphery of thehigh levels of poverty, inequality, unemployment,diseasesandunderdevelopment.Thequestionweneedtoposetoourselvesiswhetherwehavethenecessary capacity to use our political power tochangethelivingconditionsofourpeople.

10. Imperialismandneo-colonialforcesareresponsiblefor thewaveofsocial instability inourcontinent.Theprincipalaimistoexploitthehumanandthematerialresourcesofourcontinent.

11. However, we need to take cognizance thatour continent is still confronted by mammothchallenges of lack of human capital and weakinstitutions to juxtapose this historic legacy. We

needtosteerourcontinentintoamorequalitativetrajectoryofeconomicgrowthanddevelopment.

12. The political economy of the continent is stillcharacterized by the colonial economic logic ofexporting raw materials while importing value-addedproductslargelyfromthedevelopedworld.Thereislessinitiativetobeneficiatetheeconomyin order to increase its productive capacity, andtherefore create more requisite skills and thenecessaryjobopportunities.

13. The socio-economic ownership patterns in ourcontinent have still assumed the posture of thehistoricalrelationshipbetweentheformercoloniesandcolonialmaster.

14. Wehavelearnedthattheachievementofpoliticalindependence does not necessarily translateinto economic freedom. Therefore, our task isto accelerate the development agenda on thecontinent through fast-tracking the massiveinfrastructuralbacklog.

15. The 2012 UN Global Population Report predictsthattheglobalpopulationwillgrowby9,6billionpeoplebytheyear2050.Currentlyalmosthalfoftheglobalpopulationisundertheageof25,with1,3billionpeoplebetweentheagesof12and24years, it should also be noted that Africa is thesecondfastestgrowingpopulation.

16. The African Economic Outlook Report describesour continent as the world youngest continentwith 600 million young people. The number ofyoung people in the continent is growing fasterthananywhereelseintheworld.

17. Our continent faces the biggest burden of youthunemployment crisis. Most of our countries areunabletocreatesustainable jobopportunitiestotheexplodingyouthpopulation.

18. Thegrowingdiscontentamongsttheyouthinthecontinentcould leadtoexplosiveconditionsthatresult in social upheavals, violence and thereforedeepeningpoliticalinstability.

19. More emphasis is to build on the productivecapacityoftheeconomyofourcontinentsothatitcanrespondtotheneedsofourpeople.Weneedto be proactive in channelling our resources toenhancinghumancapitalespeciallytheyouth.

20. Our trade relations with the African continenthavegrownexponentially.OurtradevolumeshavegrownlargerthanourcombinedtradewithalltheEuropeancountries.

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21. According to statistics from the Department ofTradeand Industry, in1994tradebetweenSouthAfricaandAfricawasR11,4billionandtodayisatR389billion. In the same year our trade volumeswith Asia and the Middle East were at R42billionandnowatR788billionascomparedtoR439billionfromtheEuropeanUnion.

22. ThevastNorthAmericanmarketcontinuestoofferopportunities for increased value-added exportsandtheattractionofFDI,technologytransferandskills development. The renewal of the AfricanGrowth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) presentsanopportunityto increasetradewiththeUSnotwithstandingchallenges.

23. Developments in the Pacific Alliance (Columbia,Peru, Chile and Mexico) need to be closelymonitoredwiththeviewtoidentifyopportunitiesforourcountry.

24. Brazil, Mexico and Argentina are G20 memberstates are destined to become privilegedinterlocutors in South Africa’s efforts to improveregulation of the global political, economic,social and environmental sectors. Mexico is the2nd largest manufacturing country by value intheworldandmaysurpassChinaby2018as thenumberonemanufacturingcountry.

25. Therefore as much as we must appreciate theincreasingeconomicintegrationandtradewiththeotherAfricanstatesandtheworld,ourdemocraticstate must continue its work of ensuring that itbecomes the anchor of the development of ourcontinent.

26. The apartheid regime has over the years createdaperceptionthatourcountryisatypicalcolonialoutpost on the African continent. We therefore,need to reposition the role of the South Africancapital in a manner that advances the objectivesof the reconstruction and development of thecontinent.

27. At the same time we need to understand thatthe movement of the South African capital intothe continent is an inevitable objective processof the development of our productive forces.Competitionis inthenatureandthecharacterofthecapitalistsystem.

28. Our continent is steadily becoming stable withmost of our countries embracing democraticpractices. However, the tendency by some inpolitical leadership to remain in power for manyyearsagainstthewillofthepeopleisaworrisomephenomenon.

29. The phenomenon has become a seedbed forcounter revolutionary activities in the continent.It also cultivates an environment for social andpolitical disharmony, creating fertile ground formanipulation and all sorts of conspiracies byimperialistandneo-colonialforces.

30. Whilst achieving some successes, the continentcontinuetofacesocialupheavalsthatcharacterizedregime change, internal conflicts, violence etcin countries such as Tunisia, Libya and Egypt,Lesotho, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic,Nigeria, Madagascar, Sudan, South Sudan, andSomalia. These are the challenges the people ofthecontinenthavetoconfront.

31. One of the contributing factors hampering thepolitical, social and economic integration anddevelopment of the African content is the highlevelsofillicitcapitalflow.Corruptionhasbecomeacancertoourdevelopmentalobjectives.

32. The Report by the African Development BankandtheGlobalFinancial Integrity Institute, revealahighcalibreanalysisof theextenttowhichtheillicit financial outflows hamper the social andeconomicdevelopmentofthecontinent.

33. Each and every year, roughly one trillion dollarsflowillegallyoutofthedevelopingcountriesduetocrime,corruptionandtaxevasion.Theestimatesaremorethantentimestheamountoftheforeignaidflowingintothesameeconomies.

34. Theconsequenceof the illicitfinancialoutflow isthat it drains hard currency, reserves heightenedinflation,reducetaxcollection,cancelinvestment,underminetrade,worsenpovertyandundermineincometax.

35. From the year 1970–2004, the estimated illicitfinancial flows from the African continent are atapproximately$854billion.

36. The reportestimates that the illicitmoneystolenby corrupt government officials amount to 3%,whilst 65% moves across the border throughinternationaltrade.

37. Furthercompoundingthehighlevelsofpovertyasaresultofincomeinequalitiesamongstthenationstates are the continued challenges of diseasessuchasHIV/AIDS,TB,MalariaandrecentlyEbola.

38. Climate change continues to inflict catastrophicdisasterstothepooroftheworldparticularlythoseinthedevelopingworld.

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39. Globally,terrorismremainsoneofthemostseriousconcerns. The unfolding situation in the MiddleEast and some of the African countries such asNigeria, Somalia, Libya, Mali, Kenya and the Sahelregionneedourclosescrutiny.

40. Thegrowthofinternationalpiracyofeasternandwestern coasts of Africa hampers trade, securityand commerce in transport corridors that arecrucialfortheglobaleconomy.

41. Religious extremism and fundamentalism hasbecome an anchor of terrorism in the continent.Theterroristgroupswiththeiranti-westradicalismhavereinedterrormainly intheEast,Centralandthenorthernpartsofthecontinent.

42. WesternSahararemainsoneofthelastbastionsofcolonialism on the African continent.We need toaccelerate our campaign of demanding that theUNandAUendtheoccupationofWesternSaharabyMorocco.

43. WethereforemakeacallthattheSaharawipeoplebe given the right to self-determination. OurmovementiscommittingitselftohostasolidarityconferencewiththepeopleofWesternSahara.

44. ThenewagendaforreconstructionofAfricaisaboutinfrastructure development and industrialisationofthecontinent.

45. But this growth and development will bemeaningless if itsbenefitsonlygrowthepocketsoftherichandtheelites.Tobemeaningful,itmustbe truly transformative, eradicate poverty, reduceinequality, create jobs, and make our continentprosperous.This iswhat the riseofAfricamust isabout.

46. When we celebrated the 50th anniversary of theOAU/AU, we looked back with satisfaction onthe road we have travelled. But also committedfor doing better in the next fifty years. As partof the Golden Jubilee Celebrations, the AfricanUnion,duringtheSummitofMay2013,adoptedasolemndeclarationthatrededicatedthecollectiveleadership for the development of the continent.The declaration also called for the developmentof a continental agenda that will guide our worktowards a peaceful, integrated and prosperousAfrica,drivenbyitscitizensandtakingitsrightfulplaceintheworldby2063.

47. The evolving Agenda 2063 is currently premisedonseveninspirationalpillars,whichare:

■ AprosperousAfricabasedoninclusivegrowthandsustainabledevelopment;

■ An Integrated Continent, politically united,basedontheidealsofPanAfricanism;

■ An Africa of good governance, democracy,respectforHumanRights,JusticeandtheRuleofLaw;

■ ApeacefulandsecureAfrica;

■ AnAfricawithstrongculturalvaluesandethics;

■ AnAfricawheredevelopmentispeople-driven,relyingparticularlyonthepotentialofwomenandyouth;and

■ Africaasastrongandinfluentialglobalplayerandpartner.

48. In highlighting the above aspirations, the Africanpeople unequivocally expressed a collectivedesire to uplift the continent from the morass ofunderdevelopmentanddegradation.WithAgenda2063, the AU is rallying all African people to jointhemarchfortherebirthoftheAfricanContinentinallaspects–toextendourpoliticalliberationtoeconomic,culturalandsocialliberation.

“Agenda 2063 is about the Africa we want to build in the next 50 years. It connects the Africa of yesterday to the Africa of today and the Africa of tomorrow. The Africa of yesterday is the indispensable lessons we have learnt since the days of independence some 50 years ago. The Africa of today is our destiny that is firmly in our hands with every action we take. The Africa of tomorrow is the future we are creating through what we do today.”

4. OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SECOND PHASE OF TRANSITION FOR RADICAL SOCIO ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION

1. The greatness of any revolution is measured intermsofitscapacitytotakeforwardtheaspirationsandthewishesofthepeopleandtomakepossiblethetransformationofsociety.

2. The 53rd National Conference in Mangaungreaffirmed our 52nd Conference resolutionthat the ANC is a strategic centre of power. Thisresolution remains a cornerstone towards all ourprincipalgoalsofreviewingorganisationalpoliciesandprogrammes.

3. Our 53rd National conference dedicated thisdecade to the development of an ANC cadrecapableoftakingforwardthetasksofthesecond

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phaseofourtransitionforradicalsocioeconomictransformationofoursociety.

4. The task is to build a diplomat of a special kindin the context of the present complex globalpolitical-socio-economic power relations and ournational interests. This will assist to repositionusasapowerful force forchange inthearenaofinternationalpolitics.

5. Sincetheadventofourdemocraticbreakthroughin1994,ourpeoplehavebestowedourmovementwith the mandate to lead the process oftransformingoursociety.Initscapacityasapoliticalmovementandtheleaderofsociety,theANChasengaged with fraternal parties and governmentsatvariouslevels.

6. Attheleveloftheinternationalarena,ourcountrywas readmitted to the United Nations (UN) andall other multilateral agencies. In the continentwecontinuetodispatchourhistoricparticipatoryleadershiproleintheAUandtheSADCcommunity.

7. Our movement continues to be instrumental inmatters of strategic importance such as equality,development and peace in regional, continentaland international bodies. Our principal taskcontinues to be the consolidation of unity andcohesionoftheprogressiveforcesinthecontinentandtheworld.

8. Ourforeignpolicyisattheheartofourdomesticimperatives.Theessenceistopromoteournationalinteresttobuildahumaneworldorder.

9. Within this space the ANC should be firm inpromoting peace and stability and at the sametime articulating its domestic imperatives in thecontinentandthewholeworld.

10. We need to build a stronger continent based onAfricanUnion(AU)Agenda2063toensurethatthestrategyofthereconstructionandindustrialisationof our continent benefit our people. This willforgethecompetitiveedgeofthecontinentinitsmultilateraltradewiththerestoftheglobe.

11. It is through the unity of the continent that wecan ensure the eradication of poverty, inequality,unemployment, disease and underdevelopmentas well as promote stability and prosperity. Thequestion we must pose is what must be done toachievethisnobleobjective?

12. Inthisregard,weneedacontinuoustransformationofour foreignpolicy toachieve theobjectivesofournationaldemocraticrevolution.

5. PROGRESS REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ANC INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS POLICY AREAS

1. Our 53rd National Conference reconfirmed theANCasastrategiccentreofpower. It is fromthispremise that our foreign policy perspective isinformed by the decisions of the ANC’s NationalConferences.

2. The report elucidates progress achieved by boththeANCinternationalrelationssubcommitteeandour democratic government over the period ofreview.Thesubcommittee’sreportwillbecoveredunder the Organisational Component whilematters of governance will be presented underthe section Governance Component. However,the two components must be examined as onebecause government implements the decisionsandprogrammesoftheANC.

3. ORGANISATIONAL COMPONENT

Our organisational programme is anchored on thefollowingsixpillarsadoptedduringour53rdNationalConference:

■ BuildingabetterAfricaandWorld

■ ContinentalandInternationalsolidarity

■ Party-to-Party,intra-partyandmulti-partyrelations

■ Transformationofglobalgovernance

■ Policydevelopmentissues

■ Campaigns

PILLAR I: Better Africa and Better World

1. WebeginwithourprogrammeforBuildingaBetterAfrica. Over the past two and a half-year periodof review, we have made significant progress inensuringthatourstructuresandthegeneralpublicunderstandtheglobalpoliticalandsocioeconomicsituation.Ofmoreimportancewastopromotethespiritofsolidarityandinternationalism.

2. We successfully advocated our foreign policypositions by organizing and participating inseminars,workshopsandotherplatformsboth inour country and throughout the world. AmongstotherswereplatformssuchastheAfrica Instituteof South Africa (AISA), the African Centre forConstructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD),

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Institute for Global Dialogue (IGD), South AfricanLiaison Organisation (SALO), dialogues hosted byUniversitiesandsolidarityevents likePalestiniansSolidarity Week and the Colloquium to Free theCubanFive.

3. Wehavealsoembarkedonavigorousprogrammeof disseminating information through seminarsand cultural exchanges between the differentcountries of focus and our Alliance partners.Amongsttheprogrammesthatwereimplementedinclude:

■ Aseminarcelebratingthe50thAnniversaryoftheOAU/AU;

■ A seminar on peace and conflict resolutionwithparticularreferencetotheCentralAfricanRepublics and South Sudan organised at theUniversity of the Witwatersrand BusinessSchool;

■ International Relations seminar on Alba-TCP(BolivarianMovement);

■ Political Education seminar on “AustralianLabour Party Solidarity with South Africa andtheLabourAccord”;

■ SolidarityprogrammesonPalestineandCuba.

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Post-2015 Development Agenda

■ In2014theplenarysessionoftheUnitedNationsGeneral Assembly finalized the framework forthe Post-2015 Development Agenda whichwill succeed the programme of the MillenniumDevelopmentGoals(MDGs)whenitexpiresin2015.ItisthereforeimportantthattheANCfamiliarizesitsstructuresandourpeopleaboutthePost-2015Development Agenda which will be a globalprogramme for combating poverty, inequality,unemploymentandunderdevelopment.

■ Our structures must engage our people onthe MDGs and their implementation. We mustalso make our structures and broader societyunderstandthestrategicdifferencesbetweentheMDGs and the Post-2015 Development Agenda.TheANCmembershiphastobeintheforefrontofourstrugglefortheachievementofthegoalsoftheMDGsandthePost-2015DevelopmentAgenda.

The African Union

■ The ANC and our democratic government has to

focus more on strengthening regional economicintegration by promoting NEPAD, utilising theAfricanPeerReviewMechanism,andconsolidatingourparticipationinAUstructuresandprogrammes.

■ In this regard the ANC has been engagingprogressiveparties,someofthemrulingparties,inthe region and the continent on a party-to-partylevelonAUmatters.Weareconfidentthatthiswillgoa longway inmakingsure that thepeopleofthecontinentworktogetherfortherealizationofthegoalsoftheAU.

The Pan African Parliament (PAP)

■ Theyear2014hasbeenremarkableinthehistoryofPAP.Muchhasbeenachievedtoensurethattherevised protocols facilitate the upgrading of PAPintoafulllegislativebody.

■ As PAP develops its legislative frameworks anddevelop model legislation for the continent, theANC together with South Africa (as host) shouldtake advantage of this positive development, tomobiliseourpeopleinsupportofthisorganoftheAUanditsprogressiveagenda.

■ TheconstructionofthepermanenthomeforPAPinSouthAfricaisworkinprogress.

The Pan-African Women’s Organisation (PAWO)

■ TheANCandtheANCWomenLeaguearecurrentfacedwiththechallengesoftheestablishmentoftheHeadQuartersasrequestedbythewomenofthecontinenttohaveSouthAfricaasthehost.

■ The Women’s Wings of MPLA in Angola, ZANU-PF in Zimbabwe, SWAPO in Namibia and CCM inTanzania have registered their concerns in theForum of the Former Liberation Movements inSouthern Africa about the slow pace of progressasitrelatestoPAWOandhavefurtherraisedfearsthattheinstitutionsfacesimminentcollapseinthehandsofSouthAfrica.

■ The matter is receiving urgent attention as theNational Working Committee has established ataskteamtoensurethatalloutstandingmattersinthisregardissolvedandtheinstitutionreceivesahome.

Pan African Youth Union (PAYU)

■ TheANCfacedsomechallengesofrepresentationin the PAYU since the disbandment of the ANCYouthLeague(YL)NEC.

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■ The ANC International Relations subcommittee isworkingtogetherwithrelevantANCstructurestoensure that PAYU challenges are addressed oncetheANCYLNECisreconstituted.

All-Africa Student Union (AASU)

■ The regional structure of the Southern AfricaStudentUnion(SASU)attemptedtomeetin2013but due to limited resources the meeting wasunabletotakeplace.OnotherareassuchastheAUsupporttotheAll-AfricaStudentUnionandtheestablishment of the Pan-African University, workisinprogress.

Southern African Development Community (SADC)

■ The ANC and the government play a prominentroleinconsolidatingtheregionpolitically,sociallyandeconomically.

■ The ANC in the Former Liberation Movements(FLMs)meetings, itsparty-to-partymeetingswithsisterpartiesofFLMs,aswellas inmeetingswithother ruling parties in the region, continues toengagetofindsolutionsanddevelopprogrammesto fast-track the regional economic integration,culturalexchange,people-to-peopleandcountry-to-country development and other integrationprogrammes.

SADC Parliamentary Forum

■ ThetransformationofSADCParliamentaryForumto a full legislative organ of SADC must serve toreinforce regional integration ensuring that itaddressestheneedsofthepeoplesoftheregion.Workonthisisinprogress.

Building a Better Africa goes hand in hand with Building a Better World which includes promoting South–South Cooperation

■ It is generally accepted that the internationalbalance of forces are gradually shifting in thedirection of the countries of the South. South-South Cooperation is important in the SouthAfrica’sForeignPolicyarchitecture.

■ In pursuit of the progressive agenda of a betterworld,theANChasinthecontextofSouth-Southparty-to-partyrelationsengagedwithlike-mindedsister parties such as the Communist Party ofCuba, Australian Labour Party, Indian NationalCongress,BrazilWorkers’Party, FormerLiberation

Movements, POLISARIO, Ethiopian People’sRevolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), SouthSudan People’s Liberation Movement, NationalCongressPartyofSudan,NCDGhana,Al-FatahofPalestine,BaathPartyofSyria,PUKofIraq,andtheWorker’sPartyofBrazil.Wealsometrulingpartiesof different ideological orientation to ours todiscusssharedconcernsandopportunities.

■ The ANC participates in various forums, seminarsand conferences to strengthen South-SouthrelationssuchasintheSaoPauloForum;andmeetsregularly with fraternal parties on the margins ofsuchinternationalgatherings.

■ The ANC’s relations with political parties in LatinAmericaandtheCaribbeanareweak.Consequentlythe ANC has identified strategic political partiesin the region, while strengthening the alreadyexistingrelations.

Brazil–India–China–South Africa (BRICS)

■ The ANC led awareness campaigns on BRICSand hosted a post-BRICS Summit seminar inpartnershipwithWitsUniversityBusinessSchool.

■ On the establishment of the BRICS Bank: TheANC campaigned strongly through its party-to-party and government-to-government relationsforthisBanktobehostedinSouthAfricabutthefinaldecisionattheBRICSSummitheldinBrazilin2014concludedthatitwouldbehostedbyChinawitharegionalstructurebasedinSouthAfrica.

■ On the use of BRICS membership: The ANCis in discussion with the ruling parties of f BRICSmember states to sign a joint Memorandum ofUnderstanding to promote stronger party-to-party relations in order to utilise the mechanismto promote party-to-party exchange. ThismechanismwillenablethepartiestofindcommonareasofcooperationthatwouldbebeneficialtoallthemembersofBRICS,andpresentanalternativetotheWashingtonConsensus.

■ On consolidation of party–party relations: The ANC has renewed its Memorandum ofUnderstandingwiththeUnitedRussiaPartyandtheCommunistPartyofChinawithregularinteractionandprogrammes.BilateralengagementswiththeWorkers’ Party of Brazil and the Indian NationalCongressareunderway.

North-South Dialogue

■ The ANC continues to strengthen its existing

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relations of North-South interaction with sisterpartiesoftheNorthsuchastheSocialDemocraticParty of Sweden, Social Democratic Party ofGermany,NorwegianLabourParty,SocialistPartyofSpain,andtheAllUnitedRussianParty,topromoterespect for African Union Processes, respect fordecisions made by African Countries and Africansolutions to African problems. Where differencesmayarisetheANCengagesthesepoliticalpartiesto establish common understanding on thosematters.

Peace and Security, Reconstruction and Development

■ Since 2013, a new wave of conflicts has arisen inpartsofAfrica,theMiddleEast,LatinAmericaandEastern Europe, while territorial disputes havesurfacedelsewhereincludingtheNorthandSouthChinaSeaarea.TheANChasobservedthisclosely.

■ The ANC has been active in peace-buildingmissions both politically and governmentallyand continues to assist in various ways to findresolutiontoconflictsinDRC,Madagascar,Somaliaand Somaliland, Sudan and South Sudan, NorthAfrica,MiddleEastandSriLanka.

■ The ANC has been engaging various role playerson recent changes in the continent as a result ofthe uprisings in North Africa (the“Arab Springs”),the situations that ensued in CAR, South Sudan,Chad, Madagascar and Libya as well as analysingthe impact of the recent economic recessionsin Europe and the United States America (USA).TheANChastocontinueanalyzingtheunfoldingcomplex world reality the movement of NATO inourcontinentandtheworld.

Zimbabwe

■ South Africa through President Jacob Zumacontinued to play a significant role as SADCfacilitator in Zimbabwe until the country haddemocratic elections in 2013 that were declaredby most observers as free, fair and credible.ZANUPF won with an overwhelming majority intheelections.

■ SADC, inclusive of South Africa, continue toadvocate for the full lifting of sanctions againstZimbabwean leaders as a catalyst to promotingsocialandeconomicdevelopmentinthecountry.

South Sudan and Sudan

■ The Horn of Africa Focus Group ceased to

function at the beginning of 2014 but has nowbeen resuscitated and reorganized as the AfricaFocusGroupwhichisauseful’resourcefortheIRSubcommittee,NWC,andNEC.

■ DuringtheinitialvisitsoftheSpecialEnvoyandhisteam to the region IGAD had agreed that SouthAfrica’s rolewouldbeonapolitical level toassistSPLMSouthSudan. Itwas furtheragreedthatatripartitearrangementbetweenANC,SPLM(SouthSudan) and EPRDF (Ethiopia) to find politicalsolutionsshouldbesigned.

South Sudan:

■ Since the South African General Elections, themattersofSouthSudanconflictintheofficeoftheDeputy President of the Republic and togetherwithhisteamtheyhavebeenengagingvariousroleplayers to find lasting solutions to the continualconflictinSouthSudan.

■ Although the ANC International Relations is notdirectly involved in conflict resolution processes,howeverourmovementisinundatedwithrequestsand enquiries from continental political parties,Europe and the USA about our role in both TheSudanandSouthSudan.

■ TheMOUbetweentheANCandSPLMSouthSudanisupforrevisionandbothpartieshaveagreedtofacilitatesuchrevisionsinthecourseof2015.

■ DuringtheinitialvisitsoftheSpecialEnvoyandhisteam to the region IGAD had agreed that SouthAfrica’s rolewouldbeonapolitical level toassistSPLMSouthSudan. Itwas furtheragreedthatatripartitearrangementbetweenANC,SPLM(SouthSudan) and EPRDF (Ethiopia) to find politicalsolutionsshouldbesigned.

■ Since the South African General Elections, themattersofSouthSudanconflictrestwiththeofficeof the Deputy President of the Republic that hasbeenengagingvariousroleplayerstofindlastingsolutionstothecontinualconflictinSouthSudan.

Sudan

■ The conflict situation between the Governmentof Sudan and the opposition forces of Sudan (ofwhich SPLM North Sudan is a component) stillpersist. TheAUHighlevelImplementationPanel(AUHIP) mandated by the AUPSC continues thefacilitationtodeveloppeaceagreementbetweentheGovernmentofSudanandoppositionforcesinSudancontinueswithminimalprogress.

■ The ANC has met with SPLM North Sudan torevitalize relations, reignite communication lines

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and is developing a strategy for relations andengagementonissuesinSudanandSouthSudan.

■ The ANC participated in the NCP Congress inSudanandtheimplementationoftheMOUsignedwillbeginsoon.

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

■ The ANC had party-to- party meetings withPPRD (ruling party) in DRC as part of our furtherengagement stemming from a letter of intentsigned by both parties in 2013, to work on thecontent of a Memorandum of Understanding(MOU)onorganisationalbuilding.

Swaziland

■ ANC International Relations has been engagingvariousroleplayerssuchPUDEMO,SWADEPO,NLF,the Ngwane National Laboratory Party. We alsoparticipated in seminars on Swaziland organisedby various NGOs and Solidarity movements onSwaziland.

■ In 2014, the world witnessed the arrest of thePresident of PUDEMO, Mario Masuku and otherNGO role players who were advocating fordemocracy in Swaziland. The momentum onthe campaign to release Mario Masuku is on theincrease,withlimitedparticipationfromtheANC.

■ ThesituationinSwazilandisbecomingworrisomeonadailybasis.Itiswithoutanycontradictionsthattheregimehasbecomeatypicalpolicestate.TheANC must ensure that the necessary diplomaticinterventions are initiated to bring democracy toourneighbouringstate.

Ethiopia and Eritrea

■ The ANC in terms of lessoning the tensionsbetween the two countries have done veryminimalwork.ThedeploymentofcadresfromtheAllianceonafact-findingmissiontobothcountriesis still outstanding. There has been significantimprovement regarding engagement betweenANC and the Ethiopian People’s RevolutionaryDemocratic Front (EPRDF), but less so with PFDJEritrea.

Ethiopia:

■ The ANC continues to engage the EthiopianPeople’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF)at different levels to share experience andwork together on common programmes. The

cooperationbetweentheANCandEPRDFaroundthehostingofaconferenceofProgressivePartiesonthecontinentremainsworkinprogress.

■ TheANC,SPLMSouthSudanandEPRDFsignedatrilateralagreementtodealwiththeinternalpartyconflictsinSPLMSouthSudan.

Eritrea:

■ Currently, Eritrea is not part of IGAAD whosecurrent Chairperson is Ethiopia and this is amatterofconcernbecausearegionalbodyshouldincludeallcountries.Thereforeunresolvedmattersbetweenthetwocountriesmustberesolved.

■ Notwithstandingthissituation,Eritreansarepresentinmanycountriesintheregion,particularly,SudanandSouthSudan.ThustheEritreangovernmentisan important role player to consult pertaining tothecurrentsituationinSouthSudan.

■ ThePDFJEritreahasinthepastrequestedtomeetwiththeANCandreiteratedthis request in2014.The ANC is setting up a fact-finding mission toEritreaasmandatedbythenationalconference.

Somalia & Somaliland

■ The ANC-led government has continued todo extensive work in this area with a view tofinding lasting peace. The understanding ofSomalia/Somaliland within ANC Structures andinthebroaderSouthAfricapublicdomainisveryminimal. It is therefore imperative for theANCtogatherinformationtoenhanceourunderstandingand create awareness in our structures and thebroader South Africa public domain, in order toempowerourmembers.

Central African Republic (CAR)

■ The coup in CAR in 2013 resulted in deaths ofSANDF soldiers providing training to the CARarmy and police personnel and thus led to thewithdrawaloftheSANDFfromCAR.

■ The situation in CAR deteriorated into conflictbetween religious groupings until agreementswere reached in processes South Africa played acrucialsupportiverolein.CAR’sinstabilitythreatensregionalstability.

■ TheSIAfricaCommitteethattheANCisamemberwill be sending a fact-finding mission to CAR toobverse and assess the situations, and engageforcesandleadershipontheground.

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Libya

■ The Western sponsored NATO military campaignin Libya in 2011 left a trail of destruction,disillusionment and widespread instability. Thecountry continues to witness this four years on.Libyan situation continues to be unstable with avarietyofpoliticalandarmedactorsvyingforthecontrolofthestateandthecountry’sresources.

■ The Libya crisis helped the spread of illegalweapons to the rest of the Sahel Region, thuscontributingtoincreaseddestabilizationofAfricabyfuellingcross-borderscrimes,humananddrugtrafficking, and violence affecting the ECOWASRegionandotherpartsofAfrica.

■ ByinvadingLibyaunderthepretextofprotectingcivilians, theWest has thus helped the spread ofviolence,conflictandterrorisminAfrica.

Middle East

■ The conflict in Syria, which now involves a fewglobal powers, remains unresolved but there hasbeen new developments unfolding with the riseof the extremist groups in Iraq putting furtherpressureSyriagovernment.

■ Wehavewitnessedthespectreofviolencespreadto other parts of the Middle East with the rise ofextremistgroupsinIraqwithaspill-overeffectontheregion.

■ Thishasattractedthe interestofwesternpowersand others deploying militarily in the region,ostensiblytofighttheriseofextremists,butintheprocesshelpingtofurthercomplicatethesituationintheMiddleEast.

■ Furthermore, great understanding with regard tothe Arab World is required in lieu of The MiddleEastern Alliance that was formed between SaudiArabia, Egypt and Sudan with regard to thesituationthathasevolvedinYemen.Secondly,thechanges unfolding between the Western ForcesandIrannecessitatetheANCtopoliticalresearchandanalysetheimpactthesechangeswouldhaveontheRegionaswellastheimpactitwouldhaveonthePalestiniansituation.

Russia and Ukraine

■ The conflict in Ukraine escalated in the globalpower rivalry between US-Europe seeking toisolateandencircleRussia,ontheonehand,and,Russiaseekingtopreserveitself.Intheprocess,we

have seen the conflict become entrenched withconcern.

■ The ANC is in the processing of setting upconsultations with experts and others as well asacademics regardingthesituationtoenable it toremaininformedonthedevelopments.

China and Vietnam

■ ChinaisinvolvedinterritorialdisputesoverislandsintheNorthandSouthChinaSeaareasthathavealsodrawntheireoftheUSthathasmilitarybasesin the region. Vietnam is one of the countriesinvolved in the disputes and its ruling party hasconveyed its concerns about this to the ANC.Weshouldobservethissituationclosely.

PILLAR II: Continental and International SolidarityInternational solidarity will continue to inspire ourapproach to world affairs. As such, we support thestruggle for the right to self-determination of thepeople of Palestine and theWestern Sahara.We alsocontinuetopledgesupporttoCubaforthe liftingoftheeconomicblockade.

Cuba

■ Wewillalwaysbe inspiredbytheroleofCuba inthestruggleforinternationalismandsolidarity.ItsroleinthestrugglefortheliberationoftheAfricancontinentagainstimperialismandcolonialismwillalwaysbetreasured.

■ Cubacontinuestobeaninspirationforusinpursuitofouragendaofinternationalsolidarity.ItsroleinthefightagainstEbolainWestAfricaisexemplary.

■ WeneedtotakeforwardthecampaignfortheendofthefiftyyearsoldUSeconomicblockedagainstthe republic of Cuba bearing in mind that 184countriesintheUnitedNationsvotedfortheliftingoftheblockade.

■ Our Movement, together with other progressiveorganisations across the world, has consistentlycampaigned for the release of the Cuban Five.The recent visit by the Five Cuban heroes to ourcountry, during the significant celebration of the60th Anniversary of the Freedom Charter, was ademonstration of friendly relations between ourtwocountries.

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■ Wecommendthispositivesteptakenbyboththegovernments of Cuba and the United States toimproverelations.TheANCwishesbothCubaandtheUnitedStateswellinfurthermovestoimprovetheir diplomatic relations between these twocountries.

■ The ANC re-affirms our ongoing solidarity withCuba and the Cuban people and will continueto offer support for an end to the US economicblockade.ThestruggleofthepeopleofCubaisthestruggleofthepeopleoftheworld.

Palestine

■ The ANC continues to pledge solidarity with thepeople of Palestine, advocating for a two-statesolutionasaresolutiontothecontinuedongoingconflictsituationbetweenPalestineandIsrael.

■ The ANC has participated and will continueto participate in activities of the week-longprogrammeonIsraeliApartheidWeekinsolidaritywiththePalestinians.

■ Following the invasion of Gaza and thebombardment and the killings of innocentPalestiniansbytheIsraelimilitary,theANCissuedastatementofcondemnationand joinedsolidaritymarchesandprogrammesforafreePalestine.TheANCcommendsallprovinces,theLeaguesandtheAlliance,fortheirparticipationonthecampaign.

Western Sahara

■ ANC and ANC-led government in differentplatforms (solidarity meetings domestically,seminars on Western Sahara both domesticallyand internationally, Socialist International AfricaCommitteeandCouncilmeetings,UnitedNations,and so forth) continues to sponsor and supportresolutions promoting the self-determination oftheSaharawipeople.

■ The ANC engaged with representatives fromthe POLISARIO Front on the sides of SocialistInternational (SI) meetings and put forward aproposal for SI Africa Committee to send a fact-findingmissiontoMoroccoandWesternSahara,aswellastherefugeecampsinAlgeria.

■ Thedomesticsolidaritycampaignhasdroppedtoalmostnon-existenceandthereforetheANCandtheAlliancepartnershavetofindamechanismtoreignitethesolidaritycampaignwiththepeopleofSaharawi.

■ Foralmosttwoyears,theANChasnotparticipatedin Solidarity activities in Spain and Algiers, butwe have tried to rectify this by ensuring ourparticipation in the Solidarity Conference held inAlgiersinDecember2014.

■ The ANC has also committed itself to host thenext African Solidarity meeting for the people ofWestern Sahara in 2016 at the latter mentionedconference.

PILLAR III: Party-to-Party, Intra and Multilateral Relations■ The ANC receive frequent requests from

other political parties and organisations, bothcontinentally and internationally, to establishrelationsandshareexperience.

■ TheANCcontinuestoparticipateinparty-to-partyand intra-partyrelationsandhasdecidedtotakemore politically informed approach to forgingrelations,butguidedbyourprinciplesasoutlinedinnationalconferenceresolutions.

■ Many of the party-to-party relations arise as aresultoftheANC’sparticipationinPeacebuilding,reconstructionanddevelopmentandContinentalandInternationalSolidarity.

■ TheANCcontinuestoparticipateintheConferencesandCongressesofourFraternalpartiessuchthatof the Norwegian Labour Party, Swedish SocialDemocratic Party, Botswana Democratic Party,BotswanaNationalFront,EPRDF,CubaCommunistParty,MPLA,FRELIMO,SWAPO,CCM,andZANU-PF.

■ The ANC participates in seminars arranged byFESandtheOlofPalmeFoundationannually.TheANC further participated in a seminar hosted byFRELIMOandFES inMaputo,whichwasfollowedupwithaparty-to-partyvisittothenewSecretaryGeneral of the FRELIMO to share experience onelections.

■ The ANC met with the United Russian Party toelevatetherelationsandconcludeaMemorandumof Understanding (MOU) which was signedbetween the two parties. The ANC has alreadyembarked on some party-to-party exchangeprogrammesinRussia.

■ TheANCisintheprocessofreviewingitsMOUwiththeCommunistPartyofChina.Thefirstdelegation

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of NEC members has embarked on a two-weekStudy Tour to China in early this year. There areotherexchangesenvisionedfor2015.

■ The ANC has met a number of parties that haverequested forging relations with the ANC. TheANChasalsoreceivedrequestfromparties ithasrelations with for strengthening these relations.AmongsttheseareCNDD-FDDBurundi,PNRFLibreHonduras,SDPDenmark,PAIGVCapeVerde,PAIGCGuinea Bissau, PDS Benin, PDS Niger, MLSTP SaoTomeandPrincipeandNDPGhana,PPRDDRC,PCTCongoBrazzaville,LCDLesotho,SPLMNorthSudan,NCP Sudan, Workers Party of Korea, NetherlandsLabour Party, FRELIMO, SWAPO, BDP Botswana,andCommunistPartyofVietnam. RelationswithprogressivepartiesinWestAfricaandLatinAmericaremain weak and the subcommittee is currentlydeveloping a strategy to establish relations withprogressiveforcesintheseareas.

■ Withregardtoparty-to-partyrelationswithpartiesfromthedevelopedNorth,theANChastoreallytobemorepro-active,andthiswill requirefinancialresources.

■ Apart from strengthening relations and reachingouttonewfriends,therearesomeseriousquestionswe need to consider. Admittedly, the ANC is notand has never been a communist organisation.However,theANChasalwaysbeenanti-imperialistin nature and pro-working class. The need todefine“progressive policies”isthereforeimperativeand urgent so that we know when we choosefriends what criteria to look for. It does not helpus that we are forced to embrace parties simplybecauseweareaffiliatedtothesameinternationalorganization.

Former Liberation Movements

■ The ANC continues to participate in the FormerLiberation Movement meetings to strengthenandconsolidaterelations.TheSecretaries-Generalmeet twice a year and the Leaders meet once ayear.Themeetingstakeplaceonarotationalbasis.

■ The Leaders of the Southern African FormerLiberation Movements (FLMs) met in February2013atFreedomPark inTshwane. Theirmeetingwas preceded by meetings of the Secretaries-General and the Wings/Leagues (Veterans,Women’sLeagueandYouthLeague)ofFLMs.TheoutcomesoftheLeadersmeetingwereasfollows:

o In strengthening and consolidating relationstheLeadersofFLMsadoptedfurtherstrategies

for the implementation of the project on thehistoricalheritageofFLMs.

o Agreed on working together in realizing theobjectiveofbuildingtheFLMspoliticalschoolin Tanzania, as it is an important initiativein retaining the legacy and heritage of ourliberation.Significantprogressonthebuildingof the political school has been made in thatfunding has been obtained and land for theconstructionoftheschoolhasbeenallocatedinTanzania.

o TheLeagues/Wingsintheirmeetingsresolvedon a number of issues that informs theircommonprogramme.

o A meeting took place in Tanzania where theSecretaries General went to view the landdonatedbytheTanzaniangovernmentfortheestablishmentofthejointpoliticalschool.Themeeting also agreed on the establishment ofthetechnicalcommittee,whichwillbechairedby the former Secretary General of CCM toworkout thedesign,curriculumandbuildingtimeframesfortheschool.

■ The next meeting of Secretaries’ General andHead of Organisations was scheduled in Maputofor2014,tobehostedbyFRELIMO,butduetotheMozambican and Namibian elections as well astheZANUPFconferenceithasbeenpostponedto2015.

■ An urgent meeting of Secretaries’ General wasconvened by CCM and hosted by the ANC inJohannesburgtoprocessdevelopmentsregardingthejointpoliticalschoolin2014.

Building a Global Progressive Movement: Socialist International (SI) and the Emergence of the new “Progressive Alliance” (PA)

■ SincethehostingoftheXXIVSocialistInternational(SI) Congress the SI has undergone substantialreforms in its composition and representation.However, post-congress, a new entity, “The Progressive Alliance”hasemergedledbyEuropeanmembersoftheSI. Themoveincreasinglyseemslike an attempt to create a new organisation toreplacetheSI.

■ In engaging the key proponents of theestablishmentofthePAonwhatdefinedit,wehavebeeninformedthatitwasanetworkingstructureadvocatingforthetransformationofSI.

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■ The programmes and activities often reflectdifferently as being in direct opposition with SI.The PA has already established its headquartersin Leipzig. Thus far the PA has held meetings inItaly, Portugal, Norway, The Netherlands, UnitedKingdomandGermanyaswellasameetingoftheAfricaGroupcoordinatedbySDPCameroon.

■ TheANChasagreedtomeetwiththekeyEuropeanParties leading the PA as an attempt to convincethemtodothingsdifferentlyandrather invest inensuringthatthefulltransformationofSI.

■ Secondly, these European parties have reducedtheirmembership toobserverstatus that impliesa significant decrease in their membership feescontribution and this has put severe resourceconstraintsonSI.

■ OurpositionastheANCmayputusinaprecariousposition as it may lead to our isolation – theEuropeansareaggressivelycourtingmembersontheContinent.

Socialist International (SI)

■ The ANC remains committed to the SocialistInternational despite the challenges facedby the organisation. The ANC has deployedrepresentatives to the SI Presidium, SI EthicsCommittee and SI Africa Committee namely:ComradePresidentJacobZumaasaVice-President,Comrade Secretary-General Gwede Mantasheand Comrade NEC Member, Ebrahim Ebrahim asDeputy Chair, respectively. The deployees havebeenactivelyparticipatinginthevariousmeetingsoftheSI.

■ The last ANC representatives that attended theSI Council meeting in Mexico resolved that theformat of SI meetings has to change if it is to beimpactfulandtheANCisintheprocessofworkingonaproposalinthisregard.

■ There was significant progress in the SI AfricaCommittee and a call for reforms of theorganization’soperations.TheSIAfricaCommitteehas appointed aWorking Group to look into theproposedreformsmadeatthemeetinginTanzaniain2014andthereisalreadyworkinprogress.

PILLAR IV: Transformation and Global Governance■ The ANC, through party-to-party meetings

continentally and internationally, as well asits engagements in regional forums (FormerLiberation Movements, SI Africa Committee, theAfrican Left Network) and other internationalforums, advocates for UN Reforms, with specialemphasisonreformsoftheUNSecurityCouncil.

IMF and World Bank

■ The ANC continues to advocate for reforms ofthese institutions as part of our policy positions.However, in the same breath, the ANC supportsalternatives to these institutions such as BRICSBankandAlba-TCP,amongstothers.

The International Criminal Court

■ The53rdConferenceresolvedthatasmuch“as the ANC does not condone impunity, authoritarian and violent regimes, it is concerned about the perception of selective prosecution of Africans and urges the ICC to also pursue cases of impunity elsewhere, while engaging in serious dialogue with the AU and African countries in order to review their relationship”; andcalled “on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which has referred some African cases to the ICC, to recognise the work done by the AU, its RECs and individual African countries to promote the peaceful end to and settlement of conflicts on the continent, the peace agreements signed and commitments made in regard to post-conflict justice.”

■ This has not happened. Instead the ICC hascontinued to attack African countries. In additionto this, the ICC arrogantly insists on AfricancountriestoexecuteICCwarrantsofarrestswhichare not recognised by the African Union. SouthAfrica was not spared by this arrogance whenPresidentAl-BashirvisitedourcountryfortheJune2015 Summit of the African Union to the pointthattheANCdecidedonreviewingSouthAfrica’smembershipofthisorganisation.

■ In taking this decision, we reaffirmed ourunwavering commitment to the protection andpromotion of human rights on the continent ofAfrica and beyond. We further noted that SouthAfrica,correctly,hadbeenavocalproponentoftheestablishmentoftheInternationalCriminalCourt.

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■ We believed, as we still do, that an independentandobjectiveinstrumentwasneededtobringtoanendtheheinouscrimesagainsthumanityandthe violation of human rights which were thenveryprevalentontheContinent.

■ We believed, as we still do, that those whocommitted such crimes must be prosecuted andpunished by an impartial body empowered byinternationalcooperationtodefendtheuniversalvalues of justice. The matter relating to thePresident al-Bashir therefore is of major concerntotheAfricanNationalCongressandweviewtheallegationslevelledagainsthiminaseriouslight.

■ It is our view however that the ICC has graduallydiverted from its mandate and allowed itself tobeinfluencebypowerfulnon-memberstates.Weperceiveitastendingtoactasaproxyinstrumentforthesestates,whichseenoneedtosubjectthemto its discipline, to persecute African leaders andeffectregimechangeonthecontinent.ItisbeingusedasacourtagainstAfrica,deliberatelyobliviousto the fact that Africa countries themselves werevocal in their support for the necessity of such amechanism, with for example, Senegal being thefirstcountrytoratifytheRomeStatute.

■ SouthAfricawasalwaysastaunchsupporteroftheestablishmentof the InternationalCriminalCourtandoneofthefirstsignatoriesoftheRomeStatuteof the International Criminal Court. It remainscommittedtoasystemofinternationaljustice“toensurethatthemostseriouscrimesofconcerntotheinternationalcommunityasawholemustnotgounpunishedandthattheireffectiveprosecutionmustbeensuredbytakingmeasuresatthenationallevelandbyenhancinginternationalcooperation.”

■ South Africa will continue to promote andencourage regional and international initiativestodealwithsuchcrimes.WeareamemberoftheAssembly of States Parties established by Article112(1) of the Rome Statute of the InternationalCriminalCourt.WearealsoamemberoftheUnitedNations,theAfricanUnionandotherinternationalbodies. We take our international responsibilitiesandobligationsveryseriously.

■ SouthAfricaisinvolvedinpeacekeepingmissionsinmanyAfricancountriessuchastheDemocraticRepublicoftheCongo.SouthAfricaisalsoactivelyinvolvedinensuringthatthefragilepeaceprocessunderwayinSudanandSouthSudanholds,intheinterests of the people of those sovereign statesand other sovereign countries and the Africancontinent.

■ South Africa has invested a great deal of herfinancial, military, technical and human resourcestowards achieving peace, security and prosperityon the African continent. The benefits of theseinvestments are slowly being realised in thecountries in which South Africa is active. ThesecountriesincludeSudanandSouthSudan.

■ DespitebeingamemberoftheAssemblyofStateParties to the Rome Statute of the InternationalCriminal Court, South Africa has to balance itsobligations to the ICC with its obligations to theAfrican Union and its obligations to individualstates, including those in Africa, in terms of theinternationaltreatieswhichithasconcluded.

■ SouthAfricanotesthatevenPermanentMembersof the Security Council which are not signatoriestotheRomeStatuteontheInternationalCriminalCourt may participate fully in discussions onthe ICC and referrals by the Security Council of asituationinacountrytotheICC. Thosecountrieshavetakenstepstoensurethattheirofficialsandmilitary personnel will not be subjected to thejurisdictionoftheICC.

■ ThereisnonationalinterestvalueforSouthAfricatocontinuebeingamemberiftheICC.Themannerthatweweretreatedaroundtheal-BashirincidentisconsistentwiththecheekyarrogancethatAfricahas experienced in its interaction with the ICC.ContinuingtobeintheICCespeciallywhenthebigpowers who are calling the shots are themselvesnit members, gives it the legitimacy it does notdeserve.TheWestdominatestheICCthroughtheinfluencetheycommandwithinitsstructuresandthehugefinancialcontributions theymaketo itsbudget.Inreturn,theyusetheICCastheirtoolforregimechangeinAfrica.

■ Africa must build its own alternative to the ICCso that international crimes like genocide, warcrimes and crimes against humanity, continue tooccupy the attention of our continent. We mustoperationalise the African Court of Justice andHumanRightsthatwillhaveamandatetohandleinternationalcrimesonourcontinent.

PILLAR V: Policy Development

■ TheANCcontinuestoleadandguidegovernmentinpolicydevelopmentandimplementationthroughnational conference resolutions, among others.Thedetailsofthesepolicyissuesarediscussedindetail under the Governance Component below.

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The Draft White Paper will soon be tabled fordiscussion by ANC structures including the Sub-Committee.

Parliamentary Diplomacy

■ The ANC continues to guide assistingparliamentariansdeployedtointernationalforums.

Business Code of Conduct

■ We have not done enough work in this area;however the matter will be referred to theEconomicTransformationCommitteetointegrateitintotheirwork.

Economic Diplomacy

■ TheANCshould intensify itsactivisminthisarea.Thismustalsoincludeaspectsofskillsdevelopmentin order to deal with the triple challenges ofpoverty, inequality and unemployment in SouthAfrica.

National Development Plan and Vision 2030

The ANC has identified the following areas ofInternational Relations that need to be realignedwith the ANC’s International Relations policies as wepromoteamoreradicalapproachtoInternationalismonthecontinentandintheglobe:

o Page28Paragraph1under demographics;

o Page 31 Paragraph 2 under a changing Global Economy;

o Page 32 Paragraph 3 under Africa’s development withgreaterfocusoninfrastructuredevelopmentandindustrialisationonthecontinenttofacilitatethepromotionofinter-continentalmovementandtrade

o Page33Paragraph1&3underClimate Change

o Page 237 Paragraph 4 under Integrate national institutions responsible

o Page 241 Paragraph 1 under Clarity on national interest

o Page242 Paragraph 2 under Move from regionalisation...

o Page244Paragraph1underSADC & SACU

o Page253Paragraph2&7underSouth Africa in the word

■ The revision should concentrate on the ideasrather than paragraphs; and before finalisation,thereshouldbebroadconsultations.

Xenophobia

■ TheANCandtheANC-ledgovernmentcontinuetocreate opportunities for awareness programmesamongstSouthAfricansregardingtheinternationalmigration of people continentally and globallyin order to create the necessary understandingand tolerance amongst South Africans towardsparticularly asylum seekers and refugees. Theseawareness programmes should be utilized topreventanyfuturexenophobicattack.

PILLAR VI: Campaigns

AFRICOM

■ Thecampaigntoengageallmemberstateonthecontinentnottohostthesemilitarybasescontinue;however, the question that should be posed iswhetherthisisstillpreventablebecauseincertainplaces on the continent AFRICOM has alreadyestablished its footprint in the form of trainingsoldiersandothernewlydevisedmechanisms?TheANC has to deal with these realities and developnewstrategiestotakethiscampaignforward.

Africa Day

■ TheANCobservesthatthereisgrowingawarenessabouttheimportanceofthisdayandthattheAUanthem and flags are beginning to appear in SAinstitutions.

■ ANCstructuresneedtobecomemoreproactiveinpromotingthisday,i.e.25May,everyyear,givenitssignificance.

Mandela Day

■ As we celebrate nature and content of formerPresident Nelson Mandela, the ANC shouldcontinuetoeducatesocietyprinciplesandnormsand values that Tata Madiba represented. ANCstructures and ANC-led government continueto play an increasing role on Mandela Day. Theday is celebrated across all 9 provinces in the 54

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regions.Wehavealsowitnessedanincreaseinthecelebration of this day in the international andcontinentalarena.

Capacity building and Coordination as an extension of the POA

■ Capacity and work of the International Relations Department:

o The ANC should continue to transform theInternationalRelationsUnitintoafull-fledgeddepartment as per the decision of the 53rdNational Conference. There has been someprogressintheUnitassomevacantpositionshave been filled. However, there is a need toestablishanInternationalRelationsInstitutetoallow International Relations to have a stablefundingstreamtorunourprogramme,developpolicy, conducting research and broaden thescopeandfootprintofANCIRworkespeciallyinthecontinentandtheGlobalSouth.

o KeycapacitybuildingtasksfortheDepartmentofInternationalRelationsandCooperationarediscussedundertheGovernanceComponent.

■ Alliance Programme on International Relations

COSATUandtheSACPparticipateasfullmembersintheANCNECSubcommitteeonInternationalRelationswheretheyareabletosharetheirprogrammesandraiseareas requiring the ANC and ANC-led government’sintervention. Certain programmes between the ANCand its Alliance partners are coordinated together,especiallythoseoninternationalsolidaritymatters.

■ ANC Participation in International Organisations

The policies for ANC participation in internationalorganisations is currently being drafted would soonbeprocessedforconsiderationbytheNWCandNEC.

■ Capacity and resources in the ANC, Government and South African Civil Society

o Inadequateandinsufficienthumanandfinancialresources to implement ANC InternationalRelationspartoftheorganisationalpartofthePOAremainsorderoftheday.

o The ANC NEC International Relations (IR)SubcommitteeisintheprocessofrelookingattheUnit’sorganogramwiththeviewtomakinga proposal for improvement. However, wemustadheretotheresolutionfromconference

to change the IR Unit into a fully-fledgeddepartment.

o ThespeedybuildingofInternationalRelationsstructures in Provinces would furtherassist in enhancing ANC IR capacity. WhenProvinceshaveabetterunderstandingofANCInternationalmattersinalltheirstructures,theIR Unit would have gone a long way towardsintegrating IR work in ANC structures at alllevels,tothebranch.

o Training of cadres in areas of language andunderstandingofInternationalRelationsissuesisalsoimperativeifthebroaderobjectiveoftheANCistobeattained.COSATUhasdevelopedInternational Relations Practitioners Coursewithacoursemanualtotrainitsrepresentativesand affiliates deployed to this area. The ANChadparticipatedinthefirsttrainingcourseandshouldengageCOSATUtoallowmorecadrestoparticipate.

o A broader organisation to have an annualpolitical school on International Relationsshouldbeestablished.

o Better Coordination between all structures oftheANCandtheAlliancePartners,theLeaguesand MDM structures would bring the ANCcloser to attaining the goal of pro-activity intheglobalarena.InclusiveinthisisalsocreatingbettercoordinationbetweentheANCandtheANCParliamentaryCaucus.

o Thepartneringwith“ANC-friendly” civilsocietygroupings in certain projects in terms of theimplementation of the POA would furtherimprove the implementation of the ANC’sInternationalRelationsprogramme.

GOVERNANCE COMPONENTThe government’s foreign policy implementationoverview must be seen as a reflection of our overallforeign policy journey, with a sharp focus on bothwhat we have done in the past 20 years, as well aswhatstillneedstobedoneinthenextfiveyearsofthecurrent administration. South Africa’s foreign policyfindsexpression from mutually reinforcing principlesthroughthefollowingpillars:

■ Strengthening and prioritizing the Africancontinentasacentrepieceofourforeignpolicy;

■ Strengthening regional cooperation through astrongSADC;

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■ Creating a strong South-South Cooperation withemergingcountriesofthesouth;

■ Enhance partnership with countries of theNorth in order to accelerate our socio-economicdevelopment;and

■ Participation in institutions of global governanceto strengthen multilateralism, including thetransformation of the global system and itsinstitutions.

In the implementation of our foreign policy, thesepillars remain critical in guiding our foreign policyactions for the benefit of our domestic priorities.Our domestic priorities are premised on the need tosupport South Africa’s National Development Plan(NDP).Buthowdowemakeuseofourforeignpolicyengagements to support the NDP’s vision 2030 –that of creating a prosperous state where poverty,unemploymentandinequalityareathingofthepast?Wedothisbyfocusingonthefollowing:

■ DefendingandadvancingournationalInterest;

■ Enhancing our foreign policy development andimplementation;

■ Cadreshipdevelopment;

■ Agenda2063;

■ StrengtheningtheSouth;

■ South Africa’s leadership in internationalorganisations for the African Agenda and thetransformationofglobalinstitutions;and

■ InternationalSolidarity.

National Interest

■ Over the past few years, we have been trying toassertournational interest.National interestsarebydefinitionselfish.Theyareabouthowwemustsurvive and prosper as a nation. Some are“core”likesovereigntyandterritorialintegrity;andotherare“secondary”.Wehavetoconstantlyfine-tunethebalanceamongournationalinterests,Pan-Africanobligations, and international commitmentsaroundashared/collectivevisionofabetterworld.

■ Ourmissionsabroadhavecometounderstandthegreatimportanceourcountryattachestonationalinterest – which our national interests come first.In the past 20 years, since 1994, our governmenthas ensured that Ambassadors understand fullytheir various roles, and what they need to do in

foreign land in order to advance our country’snationalinterests.WeareconvincedthattodayourAmbassadors understand our domestic priorities.This we also amplify through our annual headsof mission conference. This conference seeks toredefine our foreign mandate, and remind ourAmbassadors of their role as representatives ofthePresident.Thisbecomesagreatopportunitytoreflectandtakestockofdiplomaticengagementswith our partners, in the advancement of ournationalinterest.

■ We must continue to sharpen our concept ofnationalinterestasrecommendedintheNDP.

■ Another important element in the enhancementof our national interest abroad is the creationof a strong economic diplomacy strategy. Someamongst the important elements underpinningeconomicdiplomacyareasfollows:

o MarketandbrandSouthAfricaglobally;

o Investmentpromotion;

o Skillsandtechnologytransfer;

o Promotion of joint ventures between SouthAfricanandforeigncompanies;and

o Tourismpromotion.

■ Webelieveintheimportanceofbuildingnationalconsensus on the core elements of our foreignpolicy. This consensus must be shared amongall sections of our people and across politicalparties on non-partisan basis. In this regard, ourgovernment has made use of Public Diplomacyas a tool to enhance participatory democracy,communicatingimportantmessagestothepublicabout matters of national interest. Our PublicParticipation Programmes (PPP) has proven tobeeffective in reachingout to themassesofourpeople, sharing what we do. Through our PPPs,we have since strengthened our relations withvariouskeystakeholderssuchasNGOs,civilsocietyorganization,interestgroupsandtheordinarymenandwomenofthiscountry.

Enhancing our foreign policy development and implementation

In the conduct of our country’s foreign policy, SouthAfricaconstantlyreviewsitsforeignpolicyandstrategyinorder toensurealignmentwiththecurrentglobalchallenges. Our country recognizes that, in order torespond adequately to such ever changing globalchallenges,thereisaneedforaconstantreviewofour

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approaches. In this regard, the following actions arebeingundertaken:

■ TheWhitePaperonSouthAfricanforeignpolicy-Buildingabetterworld:ThediplomacyofUbuntuis to be discussed within the ANC and will beservedbeforeparliamentaswell.TheWhitePaperisintendedtostrengthenourforeignpolicyusingtheAfricanphilosophyofUbuntu.

■ TheSACouncilonInternationalRelations(SACOIR)isbeingestablishedtoserveasasoundingboardon our foreign policy and non-state input intowhatwedo.Thisbody,whoserolewillbeadvisory,is comprised of civil society representatives,business, academics and labour; and will meetregularlytohelpgovernmentinthedevelopmentandimplementationofourforeignpolicy.

■ WeareprocessingaForeignServiceBilltoaddressthe peculiarities of the Foreign Service in ourcountry.ThisispartofrepositioningofourForeignService for its alignment with the future weenvisage for our foreign policy through capacitydevelopmentandconstant renewalofpersonnel.TheForeignServiceBillwillcreateasingleforeignserviceforthecountryinordertoendthecurrentfragmented Foreign Service system, leadingto improved efficiency, cost-effectiveness andenhancedservicedelivery.

■ The National Development Plan enjoins us tostrengthenourpolicyresearchcapacity. Thiswillbedone,buildingonourexistingpolicy researchunitatDIRCO.

■ We are establishing a Centre for Early Warning(CFEW) which will ensure proactive action andadvisory,asweallasrapidresponsetoconflictordisaster. This initiative is in keeping with the callby the African Union for the operationalisationof an African Capacity for Immediate Responseto Crises (ACIRC) in order to redouble its effortstodetectpotentialconflictsituationsbeforetheyerupt.GiventhattheAfricanContinentisourkeyforeignpolicyprioritytheCentreforEarlyWarningwillgiveasharpfocusonAfrica,ensuringthatwereceive information and advice well in advanceabout crises situations on the continent, andinitiate interventions in order to prevent or limittheeffectsoftheseconflicts.

■ The establishment of the South AfricanDevelopment Partnership Agency (SADPA) is inprogress.ThecreationofSADPAwillensuremoreefficiency in the deployment and disbursementof South Africa’s development and humanitarianassistance.

Cadreship development

Astrongforeignpolicyreliesonastrongcadreship.After1994,wedeployedcadresattheformerDepartmentofForeign Affairs, with others sent abroad to representourcountry.Someofthesecadreswillberetiringsoonand others are already retired. We therefore have torenewourdiplomaticcadreshiponcontinuousbasis.Thefollowingareouractionsinthisregard:

■ The Diplomatic Training, Research andDevelopment (DTRD), that is responsible fortrainingourdiplomats,isbeingturnedintoafully-fledgeddiplomaticacademy.

■ Our existing internship and cadet programmehas been consolidated into a Johnny MkhathiniUbuntuDiplomaticCorpstoimproveitsoutcomesandimpact.

■ Training and internship must be based on aprogressive curriculum and training programmethat is rooted in ANC politics and revolutionaryteaching.

African Union (AU) Agenda 2063

■ Africahasundoubtedlytransformedfromwhereitwasin1963whenweformedtheOrganisationofAfricanUnity(OAU)tolaythefoundationsfortheAfricanUnionweareproudmembersoftoday.

■ SouthAfrica’sforeignpolicyisdrivenbythevisiontoachieveanAfricancontinentthatisprosperous,peaceful, democratic, united and assertive indefence of its interests in world affairs. This is inlinewithAgenda2063.

■ Agenda 2063 will impact SADC, especially thepaceanddirectionoftheintegrationofourregion.OurapproachtotheSADCregionmustthereforeaim at consolidating bilateral relations withour neighbours, and strengthening SADC as aninstitution.Inparticular,wemust:

o Strengthen regional integration in ourSADC neighbourhood by dischargingour responsibilities towards the fullimplementation of our Free Trade Area andconcluding the current review of the SADCRegional Indicative Strategic DevelopmentPlan. The SADC-EAC-COMESA tripartite tradenegotiationsmustreachfinalityastheyareanimportant step towards the realization of theAfricanFreeTradeAreaby2017.

o Peace and political stability in our region willremain a priority. We are encouraged by the

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proactive and stabilizing effect that resultedfromthedeploymentoftheSADCInterventionBrigade intheDemocraticRepublicofCongowherethenegative forcesthereareeitheronretreatorhavebeendefeated.Inthisregard,wehaveoperationalisedtheTripartiteAgreementbetweenSouthAfrica,AngolaandtheDRCinsupportofthePeaceandSecurityFrameworkAgreementfortheGreatLakesRegion.

o We will galvanize political support for majorinfrastructure projects in our region, notablythe Lesotho Highlands Water project PhaseII, and the Grand INGA in the DemocraticRepublicofCongo.

■ For the rest of Africa, in the context of Agenda2063,wemust:

o ContinuetostrengthenbilateralrelationswithAfricancountriesthroughstructuredbilateralengagements to advance South Africa’sintereststhroughoutthecontinent;

o Intensify our work in supporting the AfricanUnion, including the AU institutions we host;namely, the NEPAD Secretariat, Pan-AfricanParliament and the African Peer ReviewMechanismheadquarters.

o Strengthen Economic Diplomacy to increasetradeandinvestmentopportunitiesforSouthAfrica;

o Give dedicated attention to the North-SouthCorridor,andotherNEPAD-drivenInfrastructureProjects on the Continent championed bySouthAfrica;

o Ensure speedy provision of Humanitarianassistance where needed to alleviate humansufferingonthecontinent;

o Implement the African Diaspora programmeadoptedattheAUSummitwehostedin2012;

o Continue peace-building and conflictprevention efforts in conflict situations insupportofmultilateralinstitutions;and

o Re-invigorate our Post-Conflict andReconstruction and Development strategy inAfricancountriesemergingfromconflict.

■ The African Union Peace and Security Councilcelebrateditstenthanniversary,andwelookbackwithprideatwhatithasachieved.SouthAfricahasassumed its two-year membership of this organwhichwillbeusedto focuson the restorationofconstitutionalorderintheCentralAfricanRepublic,andstabilityintheDRC,Libya,SomaliaandSouthSudan.

■ The operationalisation of the African Peace andSecurity Architecture remains a critical elementinprovidingtheAfricanUnionwiththenecessarycapacity to respond to our challenges of peaceand security. The establishment of the AfricanCapacity for Immediate Response to Crises(ACIRC),championedbySouthAfrica,isaninterimmechanismtoenabletheAfricanUniontorespondto emerging security situations while the AfricanStand-ByForceisbeingoperationalised.

■ Overall,peaceandsecuritychallengesinAfricafallintothefollowingcategories:

o PoliticalinstabilitylikeinLesotho;

o FullscalecivilwarlikeinSouthSudan;

o Rebels and other negative forces like in theDRC;

o Unconstitutionalchangeofgovernment;

o SecessionistmovementslikeinMali;and

o The scourge of religiously motivated acts ofterrorism.

■ OurroleasSouthAfricaisinpreventivediplomacyto prevent a potential conflict from developinginto a conflict; mediation like we are doing nowin Lesotho; peace keeping; peace enforcementlike we are doing in the DRC as part of FIB/MONUSCO.SouthAfricaisfullyseizedandpartofthecontinentalcampaigntosilencethegunsonceandforall.

Strengthening the South

■ It is generally accepted that the internationalbalance of forces are gradually shifting in thedirectionofthecountriesoftheSouth.South-SouthCooperationisimportantinSouthAfrica’sforeignpolicyarchitecture.OurapproachtoSouth-SouthCooperation is anchored on South-South forumslike the BRICS, IBSA and FOCAC and multilateralbodiessuchastheNAMandtheG77plusChina,aswellasthenetworkofbilateralrelationswehaveestablishedwithcountriesofAsiaandMiddleEast,and Latin America and the Caribbean. The keyelementsofthiscooperationarethepromotionofpoliticalanddiplomaticrelations,enhancingtrade,investment and other economic relations, andcollaborationonglobalissuesforabetterworld.

■ The6thBRICSSummithostedbyBrazilreaffirmedourcorevisiontobringaboutamoredemocratic,multipolarworldorder.SouthAfrica,asthepreviousChair, successfully brought to fruition all the key

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outcomes adopted at the 5th BRICS Summit. Assuch,inBrazil,theAgreementestablishingtheNewDevelopmentBankandtheTreatyforthecreationof the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangementweresigned.

■ SAleadershipininternationalorganizationsfortheAfrican Agenda and the transformation of globalinstitutions

■ How SA exercises leadership in internationalorganizations must have four elements to it,namely:

o The election of South Africa to strategicstructures and strategic positions ininternationalorganisations;

o Deployment of South Africans in strategicpositions;

o South Africa championing and leading ina strategic issue of global significance ininternationalorganisations;and

o South Africa hosting strategic internationalmeetings, including playing a leadership rolein ensuring that such meetings produce aprogressiveoutcome.

■ Reform of the structures of global governance,including the United Nations Security Council,must remain a key focus, including on how toensurethattheAfricanCommonPosition,knownas the Ezulwini Consensus, advances the reformoftheUN.SouthAfrica’smultilateralactivitiesareinextricablylinkedtoSouthAfrica’sowndomesticprioritiesandthoseoftheAfricancontinent.Inthisregard,thefollowingarethekeypriorities:

o Two critical negotiations will reach theirconclusion in 2015; and these are the UnitedNations Framework Convention on ClimateChange(UNFCCC)onthebasisoftheDurbanPlan for Enhanced Action agreed at COP17/CMP7; and the Post-2015 DevelopmentAgenda. We will continue to call for theacceleration of efforts and resources toensure the achievement of the MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs) up to 2015 andbeyond.

o On sustainable development, a key processemanating from Rio+20 was to recommendtotheUnitedNationsGeneralAssemblyasetof possible Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). The process to develop these goalshas concluded with South Africa’s robustparticipation.

o On the Post-2015 Development Agenda,

whichemanates fromtheMDGs,SouthAfricais active in the intergovernmental processestakingplacewithintheUnitedNationswhereallnationsparticipateonanequalbasistocraftthesuccessorgoalstotheMDGs,andinformedbyRioPrinciples, inparticulartheprincipleofCommon but Differentiated Responsibilities.We are informed by the African commonposition whose essence is that the globalpost-2015 Development Agenda must giveadequate attention to: “the development of productive capacity underpinned by value addition, technology and innovation, and infrastructure development; people-cantered development with a particular emphasis on youth empowerment and gender equality; natural resources and disaster risk management in the context of sustainable development; peace and security; and a truly inclusive and transformative global partnership.”

o Continue to fight for the Durban Legacythat came out of the 2001World ConferenceagainstRacismthatwehostedinDurban.TheimplementationoftheDurbanDeclarationandProgrammeofActionisfarfromsatisfactory.

o IntheG20,SouthAfrica–alsoaCo-chairoftheG20 Development Working Group (DWG) –continuestoaddressdevelopmentbottlenecksandhelpdevelopingcountriesachievegrowth.

o SouthAfricawillcontinuetoinsistthatasmuchasworkisbeingdoneonnon-proliferation,theissue of disarmament also requires progressandmovementinthecontextofthealienablerightofstatestothepeacefulusesoftheatom.

International Solidarity■ Internationalsolidaritywillcontinuetoinspireour

approachtoworldaffairs.Assuch,wesupportthestrugglefortherighttoself-determinationofthepeople of Palestine and the Western Sahara. TheeconomicembargoonCubahastobelifted.

■ Cuba is an established strategic partner of SouthAfrica in Latin America and the Caribbean andboth countries continue, in a programmaticand systematic manner, to work towards theattainment of their respective foreign policyobjectives.Theyear2014,marks20yearsoffruitfulrelationswithCuba.Tiesofculture,history,sharedstruggles and common aspirations, join Cuba toSouth Africa and the Continent of Africa. Thereare over 30 (thirty) signed bilateral agreementsinplacebetweenthetwocountriescoveringvast

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areasofcooperationforexampleartsandculture,defence, education, science and technology,health services, housing as well Home Affairs.The Joint Consultative Mechanism (JCM) and theJointBilateralCommission(JBC)arethetwomaininstruments utilised by the two countries in theconductofbilateralandpoliticalrelations.

■ South Africa reaffirms its solidarity with thepeople ofWestern Sahara in search of their righttodecolonisationandself-determination,througha UN supervised referendum with the option ofindependence.

■ Our history and support for the Palestinianstruggleforfreedomisonethatisalsolinkedinourhistoricalandsharedstruggles.OurownhistoryofApartheidthereforedemandsthatasSouthAfricawe are required and morally obliged to supportthePalestinianfightforfreedom,equalityandtherighttoself-determination.AspartofSouthAfrica’scontribution to international diplomatic effortstowards the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeliconflict, President Zuma appointed ComradesZola Skweyiya and former Mr Aziz Pahad asSpecial Envoys to the Middle East to convey hisgrave concern over the then escalating violence,the civilian displacement and the deteriorationof the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.The Special Envoys have travelled to the regionincluding Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Qatar, UnitedArab Emirates, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabiato convey the President’s message of concern.President Mahoumed Abbas paid a historic StateVisit to South Africa. South Africa has pledgedUS$1million towards humanitarian assistance inGaza.

■ South Africa supports the International Year ofSolidaritywithPalestine(2014)asdeclaredbytheUN.SouthAfrica’scommitmenttothequestionofPalestine,togetherwiththisUNdeclaration,formedpart of South Africa’s consideration for hostingthe Palestinian Heads of Mission Conference inCape Town, as well as the Palestinian SolidarityConferenceheldon2May2014.

6. CONCLUSION■ A discussion of South Africa’s international

relations is incomplete without a reflection onthe leadership role that is expected of us on thecontinent and globally. However, our sense andapproach to such leadership must not be that ofabullyorhegemony,butamemberofacollective.Wemustleadinthefollowingways:

o Byassertingthe independenceofourforeignpolicy;takingpositionsthatareprincipledandcorrect.

o Speak out on African issues to defend ourcontinentandcollectiveinterests.

o Championprogressiveissues.

o Standupforjusticeintheworld.

o Our leadership must be political, notmechanical, driven by collective and sharedinterest,notbyselfishinterests.

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1. Our foreign policy and practice must reflect our understanding of national interests, balanced with our pan-African and south solidarity and broader international cooperation. What precisely does “national interests” mean in the pursuit of our international agenda?

2. The African Union has adopted the Agenda 2063 framework document – “The Africa We Want”. What mechanisms can we use to domesticate Agenda 2063 for all South Africans; and how do we popularise it so that South Africans take ownership of Agenda 2063?

3. South Africa is one of the founding countries of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), which the ANC played a critical role in formulating and championing, to the extent to which the NEPAD Agency is located in Midrand. Is it important for the ANC once again to lend its voice to the promotion of Africa’s development programme, and if so how? Given that South Africa’s intra-African trade is universally low in comparison to, to other regions of the world, what can be done to both strengthen and deepen intra-African trade in the coming years so as to ensure that regional integration becomes a reality?

4. We are in a period of moving from the (largely unachieved) MDGs to the Post-2015 development agenda and sustainable development goals (SDGs), of which there are currently an unwieldy 17 potential goals listed and being negotiated. What is important for Africa when we discuss sustainable development? How can we ensure that the Africa Common Position on the post-2015 development agenda has pride of place in the SDGs?

5. What is the significance of the BRICS to the international balance of forces? How important is the decision of the establishment of the New BRICS Development Bank and the establishment of the first regional office in South Africa?

6. The reform of the UN system and the global governance architecture more broadly is a matter of global fairness and justice. Is it time to think more broadly about South Africa’s formal positions (for example the Ezulwini Consensus, amongst others), in order to ensure that the reform process comes to fruition?

7. In 2008 and most recently, we saw an explosion of “xenophobic” violence (attack on foreign nationals), in South Africa. What could be the causes and the how can the ANC address and respond to these challenges on the matter?

8. The rise of terror groups on the African continent and the Middle East present a dual challenge of local grievances combined with international strategies and allegiances. How do we understand the root causes of these terror groups with a view to combat these threats in the long term?

SELECTED QUESTIONS THAT THE ANC CADRE SHOULD CONSIDER FOR DISCUSSION IN PREPARATION FOR THE 2015 NGC

QUESTIONS

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1. Theperiodbetweenthefifteenandnineteenthcenturies saw the rise of the phenomenonof imperialism and colonialism throughoutthe whole world. An epoch characterized byheightened formsofstrugglebyourpeople inthe former colonies and semi colonies againstcolonialterritorialconquestanddispossession.

2. Throughoutthisepochtheroleoftheconqueredterritories within the imperialist and colonialsystemhasbeentosupplyrawmaterialstotheindustries of the industrial metropolis and toprovide a market for the manufactured goodsfromthemetropolitanindustries.

3. Therefore the scramble for territorial conquestand dispossession of our people in the formercolonies and semi colonies has been part ofthe worldwide phenomenon of imperialismandcolonialexpansion.IntheAfricancontinentand our own country, the wave of territorialconquest and dispossession gave impetus tothesubjugationofmanyAfricanKingdomsandChiefdoms

4. The 1884 Berlin conference was a historicevent of a far-reaching political significance,which altered the course of the developmentof human race. It provided a platform for theworld superpowers to partition many partsof the underdeveloped world, including ourowncontinent, for thepurposesofservingthepoliticalandeconomic interestsofthecolonialpowers.

8.5. ItwasduringthisperiodofhistorythatEuropeanvoyages of exploration and expedition sailedthroughout the world to expand their sphereof influence and socio economic hegemony.This was a moment in the development ofimperialism and colonialism, when for the firsttime in history, the world-renowned exploresChristopher Columbus and Vasco Da GamareachedtheshoresoftheAmericasandtheEastIndiesrespectively.

6. The tidal wave of the movement for thescramble of the world was accompanied bythe cruellest forms of human rights violations,which forced millions of the indigenous

ANNEXURE 1

people into commodities of the lucrative slavetrade.The world was a witness to the massivedisintegrationofitspopulationperpetuatedbythecolonialpowersintotheacrimoniousworldofslavery.

7. Millions of our people throughout the worldendured atrocities as they faced the adversityofthescramblebytheforcesofimperialismandcolonialism. Many of our people in the formercolonies and semi colonies were conqueredmainly because of lack of sophisticatedweaponry.

8. Barbaric acts of genocide led to theextermination of millions of the indigenouspeopleoftheworld.Millionsofourpeoplewereforcefully imported from the African continenttoworkasslavesinmostofthecountriesintheAmericanhemisphere.

9. Inourowncountry,millionsofpeoplefromIndia,Malaysia, Indonesia, Madagascar, and manyother islands in the East Indies, were forcefullyimported to work as slaves in the Cape colonyand Natal. Historical records prove that manyoftheenslavedpeopleacrosstheworlddiedofhungeranddiseaseintheslanderoushandsofthecolonialmasters.

10. Asaresultofthestrategicgeopoliticallocationof the Cape colony, the Dutch East IndianCompany instructed Jan van Riebieck toestablish a refreshment station at the Cape inorder to provide voyages of ships to the EastIndieswithfreshfoodandwater.

11. TheestablishmentoftherefreshmentstationattheCapewasaturningpointoffiercestrugglebyourpeopleagainsttheforcesofimperialismandcolonialism.Likemanyotherpeopleoftheworld, the indigenous people of our countryfound themselves having to wage struggleagainst intrusion, territorial conquest andexpansionbythecolonialmasters.

12. At the same time the strategic location of theCape colony and its prospective influence onthe world map, exacerbated tensions betweenthe Dutch and the British colonial powers.This

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led to many of the Voortrekker communitymigratingintothehinterlandsofourcountry,inprotestagainstthelawsimposedbytheBritishadministration.

13. The movement of the Voortrekkers into thehinterlands sparked a wave of frontier andtribalwarsacrossthebreathandlengthofourcountry.The scramble for the dispossession oflandandlivestockledtowars,whichdominatedtheSouthAfricanpoliticalsceneforcenturiestocome.

14. The contradictions of the colonial interestbetween the Dutch and the British colonialadministrations led to the establishment ofthefirstBoerrepublicsoftheTransvaalandtheOrangeFreeState.

15. These contradictions steered the Afrikanernationalism,whichwasagainstthedominationoftheBritishadministrationandthestruggleforthecontroloftheeconomyafterthediscoveryofgoldanddiamondthatledtotheoutbreakoftheAngloBoerwar.

16. The catastrophic war between the Afrikanerand English-speaking people led to the totaldestruction of the entire socio economic baseof the Afrikaner community. The war indeedbecame one of the major contributors to thepoor white problem immediately after theestablishmentoftheUnionofSouthAfrica.

17. After the most destructive battle between theEnglish and the Afrikaner speaking people,protractednegotiationsledtothepeacetreatyoftheVereenigingintheyear1902.Thethrustofthenegotiatedsettlementwasfundamentaltowards the establishment of the Union ofSouthAfricaundertheBritishdominion.

18. The formation of the Union was a catalysttowardsthesystematicsegregationofthevastmajority of the black people of our countryfromthepoliticalandsocioeconomicdecision-making processes. The black majority wasmarginalised from becoming meaningfulparticipants and architects of the birth of theUnionofSouthAfrica.

19. The participants at the peace treaty ofVereeniging rejected the inclusion of the non-racial franchiseclause in thedraftconstitutionof the Union of South Africa. The unfoldingevents prompted the black people of ourcountry to forge for a formation of a political

movement that would champion the wishesandaspirationsofthemajority.

20. The peace treaty of the Vereeniging was themain architect of the formation of the unionofSouthAfrica.ThestrategicdesirewastofindcommongroundstouniteboththeBritishandthe Dutch colonial interests against the blackpeople who constituted the majority of thepopulationinourcountry.

21. ThepainstakingeventsawtheforebearsofourmovementresonatingwiththedefeatedAfricanKingdoms and Chiefdoms, as well as otherenlightened sections of our society from thewesternmissionaryeducation,todemandfortheinclusionoftheAfricanpeopleintheformationof their nation state. It was the culmination oftheseepisodesofhistoricalevents,commencingwith the conquest and dispossession of ourAfrican tribes by the colonial settlers, to thelast horrendous subjugation of the BambathaRebellion,withtheestablishmentoftheUnionofSouthAfricain1910thatledtotheformationoftheANCin1912.

22. Unity of purpose amongst the sections ofAfricans from various persuasions, includingthosefromourneighbouringcountries,sawtheneedfortheformationofapoliticalmovement,which will take forward our struggle againstimperialismandcolonialdomination.

23. TheperiodbeforeandaftertheformationoftheUnionofSouthAfricasawvariousdeputations,presentationsandpetitionstotheBritishQueen,urging her to persuade our white compatriotsto include the black majority into the politicaldecisionmakingprocesses.Thisisindicativeofhowourmovementunderstoodtheimportanceofdiplomacyandpeacefulmeansofresolvingthepoliticalproblemsinourcountry,atitsmostembryonicstageofdevelopment.

24. In 1917 the victory of the Bolshevik party inRussia ushered in the triumph of the greatOctober socialist revolution that was themomentousepochmakingtheeventthatsawtheestablishmentofthefirstever-socialiststateinthehistoryofmankind.

25. The great October Socialist Revolution was anoutstanding historical event of our moderntimes.Itmarkedadecisiveturningpointinthestruggle of the people of the world againstimperialismandcolonialism.

26. The victory of the great October socialistrevolutionbecameanepicenterofstruggleofthepeopleoftheworldtofightagainstimperialismandtheemancipationofthecolonisedpeople.Itbecameapoliticalinstrumenttoformulatetheprinciples,strategiesandtacticsoftheworkingclassstrugglenationallyandinternationally.

27. Oneofthemostimportantquestionsbeforetheworldcommunistmovementwasitsdialecticalrelationship with the nationalists’ movementsof the oppressed people in the colonies andsemicolonies.TheroleandcontributionoftheCommunist movement towards the liberationofthepeopleoftheworldfromthebondageofimperialismandcolonialdomination.

28. In1928theCommunistinternationalinstructedallCommunistpartiesoftheworldtoestablishedrelationshipswithnationalistmovementsinthecoloniesandsemicolonies.Communistpartieswereinstructedtoworkwithproletarianpartiesin the colonies and semi colonies, providingmoralandmaterialsupporttothecauseoftheirstruggleagainstimperialismandcolonialism.

29. As early as 1915, the leadership of theinternational socialist league in South Africawasalreadygrapplingwiththemostimportantquestion of internationalism and solidarity.Thedeparturepointwas that internationalismshouldnotonlyaimatunitywith theRussian,Italian,andGermanSocialDemocrats,butalsotoembraceunityofallsectionsoftheworkingclass in South Africa, Black and White. Theyargued strongly that internationalism, whichdoes not concede the fullest rights, which thenative working class is capable of claiming,wouldbeasham.

30. The presidium of the sixth congress of thesecondinternational in1928characterisedtheSouth African situation as a British dominionofaspecialtype.Thiswaspremisedoutofthemost profound analysis that the character ofthe South African economy was such that theBritish imperialism occupied the principalpositionsofoureconomywiththeparticipationoftheSouthAfricanwhitebourgeoisie.

31. In other words the British imperialism carriedtheeconomicexploitationofourcountrywiththe involvement of the white South Africanbourgeoisie. The oppressed people of ourcountry did not only suffer from capitalistexploitation and colonial domination, but also

fromracialdiscrimination.

32. As a consequence, the sixth congress ofthe international made a clarion call for theestablishmentofanindependentnativeSouthAfrican Republic, as a stage towards workersandpeasantrepublicwithfullandequalrightsforallraces.Acorrecttheoreticalprepositionofour understanding of the national democraticrevolution.

33. From the beginning, our struggle for nationalliberation has been shaped and influenced bythe revolutionary principles and traditions ofinternationalism and solidarity. Our strugglefor national liberation has always assumed aninternationalistcharacter.

34. Inspired by the traditions of internationalismand solidarity, the ANC has always masteredthe theoretical grasp that the struggle of thepeople of our country is part of the struggleofthepeopleoftheworld.Thatourstruggleisessentially about the liberation of our peopleagainst imperialism and colonial oppressionandexploitation.

35. The forebears of our national liberationmovementrecognisedthatthestruggleagainstimperialism and colonialism in South Africawas tantamount to the defeat of colonialismin Africa and the rest of the colonised world.Hence, they were enthusiastic to join theinternational progressive forces in the fightagainstimperialismandcolonialism.

36. The posture of the ANC on internationalismemanates from the period as early as the turnof the last century. Before the formation ofthe South African Native National Congress,Cde Pixley ka Seme took public platformsagainst imperialism and colonialism, callingfor democracy and renewal of Africa in publicspeechesandpublications.

37. Itwasinthatcontextthatin1927CdePresidentJosia Gumede attended the Anti- Imperialismconference in Brussels as the delegate of theANC.The conference demanded the completeoverthrow of imperialism and capitalistdomination, the protection of freedoms ofspeech and assembly, and that the right toeducationtobeextendedtoallpeoples.

38. On his return from Moscow in 1928 CdePresident Josia Gumede said “I have seen the

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new world to come, where it has already begun, I have seen a New Jerusalem”. InhisPresidentialaddresstothecongressoftheANCin1930,hesaid “Soviet Russia was the only real friend of all subjected races and I urge congress to demand a South African native republic with equal rights for all and free from foreign and local domination”.

39. ThebirthoftheSouthAfricanCommunistpartyand trade union movement also helped toinfuse intoourstrugglebodypolitics thatwashitherto dominated by African nationalism, anew ideological perspective informed by thescientificrevolutionaryMarxistLeninisttheory.

40. This again further engraved the South Africanliberation struggle into internationalism,highlighting the importance of solidarity toensurefurtheranceofthelocalandinternationalstruggle for the common values of freedom,equality,democracy,peaceanddevelopment.

41. The events that were to follow the variousstrikesintheSouthAfricanminesaftertheendoftheFirstWorldWarandtherelianceonSouthAfrica’smanufacturesduringtheSecondWorldWar, helped us simultaneously to graduatefrom mere mining and agriculture into amanufacturingeconomy.

42. Thishaditsownconsequences,astheworkingclass grew quantitatively and so did its highlevel of political consciousness. Our scientificMarxistLeninistrevolutionarytheorycontinuedtoplay itspivotal roleasaguidingtoolofourstruggle.

43. Throughout the years of our struggle, theleadershipof theANChasbeencommitted toa revolutionary transformation of society. TheANCcollaboratedwithotherprogressiveforcesgalvanising them into mass campaigns, indefiance of oppressive colonial and Apartheidracistlaws.

44. In1941theANCgalvanisedtheAfricanpeopletojointheAlliedForcesintoawaragainstHitler,asasymbolofourstruggleagainstthetideofracist supremacy and fascism in the world. Itwasdoneinearnestwiththefullhopethatbythe end of the war, the world powers wouldwork towards the achievement of peace andcommonfriendshipamongstthenationstates.

45. The ANC crafted the African Claims documentwhilsttheAlliedForcespreparedforaSummitin Malta scheduled for 1943 to detail the

expectationsofthecolonisedpeopleofSouthAfricaandelsewhere.IthopedthattheSummitoutcomeswouldreflecttheseaspirations,butitwouldnot,thuscausingthemovementtopinitshopeonthesolidarityofthenewlyindependentstatesinthestruggleforanewworld.

46. Indeed, in 1955 there was the first gatheringof forces of the global south, the Non-AlignedMovement’s (NAM) conference in Bandung, inwhich the ANC participated in shaping what,would be known as the World ProgressiveMovement. A movement committed to non-alignment in the cold war; non-proliferationof nuclear arms; non-interference in domesticaffairs of countries; a peaceful resolutionof conflicts; and the right of all nations todeterminetheirownpath,formandcontentofdevelopment.

47. OurmovementfacilitatedthehistoriccongressofthepeoplethatadoptedtheFreedomCharterintheyear1955.Duringthishistoricgathering,ourpeopleincludedinthecharter,theideaofa“free and a better world for all”.

48. Itisthefreedomcharterthatinformedtheideaofafreeandabetterworld“There shall be peace and friendship”.

49. Ourmoralstandingonthesebasic tenants forfreedom and equality, especially in the face ofracism and bigotry, ensured that progressivepeople around the globe, even in colonialpowers, supported the South African struggleforfreedomanddemocracy.

50. It is important to note that the FreedomCharter was built on the 1943 African ClaimsDocument,aswellas inthespiritand letteroftheUniversalDeclarationonHumanRightsbythe United Nations.This was the blue print ofthe social, economic and political values thatwereespousedbythewholeofhumanityposttheSecondwarperiod.

51. Where the Universal Declaration on HumanRights was antithetical to the World War, theFreedomCharterwasantitheticaltoapartheid’shegemonyinSouthAfrica.

52. Ontheinternationalcentrestage,theANCmadevarious representations to the United Nations,calling for its intervention against ApartheidSouthAfrica.Itwasforthisreasonthatin1966theUNGeneralAssemblydeclaredApartheidasacrimeagainsthumanity.

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53. This created the necessary momentum forthe countries of the world to isolate SouthAfricaonthebasisofviolationof fundamentalhuman rights. The campaign was cantered onmobilizationoftheworldforpolitical,economicanddiplomaticisolationoftheApartheidSouthAfrica.

54. The ANC pushed for a strong internationalsolidarity against apartheid, resulting in theestablishment of anti-apartheid movementsin all regions of the world. There was agreat intensification of the mobilization ofordinarypeople, students,andthe tradeunionmovements, and middle class, faith-basedorganisations to support the struggle of theoppressedinSouthAfrica.Thishelpedtobuilda global and non-racial movement againstapartheidracialchauvinism.

55. As evidenced by ANC President, Chief AlbertLuthuli’sNobelPeacePrizein1958,thestrugglefor South African independence became thecentre-stageoftheinternationalstrugglefortheliberationofAfrica.TheANCwouldalsooccupythecentreofthemajorpoliticaldiscourseontheliberation of Africa during the independenceyears.

56. The ANC also co-operated with the broaderstruggle against colonialism in Africa,recognizing that the struggle in South Africawasapartof thebroaderpan-Africanstruggleforliberation.WhentheOrganisationofAfricanUnity (OAU) was established the ANC fullyparticipated.

57. ItrecognisedtheOAUasastrategicplatformtomobilize the continent against the apartheidstateandformercolonialpowerswhichsoughttodividetheanti-colonialstruggle.ItsufficestoelucidatethatPresidentORwasgivenastatusoftheheadofstateatallOAUmeetings.

58. The political leadership role of the OAU wasfundamental in contributing towards theliberationofmostoftheAfricanstates.TheOAUwent to an extent of establishing a liberationcommittee,whichprovidedmoralandmaterialsupport to national liberation movements stillwagingstruggleagainstcolonialpowers.

59. TheOAUliberationcommitteewasinstrumentalinassistingmostoftheliberationmovementstodefeattheunholyalliancebetweenPortugueseand white South African colonialism in theSouthern African region. In Angola, Zimbabwe,

Mozambique,Namibia,andSouthAfrica.

60. Many countries in Africa, particularly SouthernAfrica, paid a heavy price in the destablisationcampaignsbytheapartheidstateand itsalliesusing brutal military and economic measuresto subvert the struggle led by our nationalliberation movement. Frontline states, whichprovided refuge for ANC cadres were invadedand destabilised, and their economies blockedbytheapartheidregime.

61. The Matola raid of 1981 in Mozambique, theMaseru raid of Lesotho in 1982, the Gaboroneraid in Botswana in 1985, attacks on ANCHeadquarters inZambiaandotherattacksandassassinationsinZimbabweandSwaziland,andmanyotherpartsofourcontinentandtheworld.

62. ThebattleatCuitoCuanavalebythecombinedforces of the Russian, Cuban and the AngolanMilitary,andtheunitsofthemilitarywingsoftheSWAPOandANCagainstUNITAandtheSouthAfrican Defence Force, cannot be forgotten forhowittiltedthebalanceofforcesinourcountry,theSouthernAfricanregion,thecontinentandtheworld.

63. Even though the whole period spanning theCold War era resulted in intransigency bywestern countries over apartheid, ordinarypeopleandvariousimportantsocialfigurestookstancesagainstapartheidinsolidaritywiththeliberationstruggleledbytheANC.Anumberofinternational platforms were in support of theANCstruggleforliberation,apartfromtheOAU.

64. Some of the European and Scandinaviancountries that were led by social democratsaligned to the Socialist International alsoassisted us morally and materially. Artist suchas the famed Bono also took a stance againstapartheid,helpingorganizetheReleaseMandelaconcertsinplacessuchasLondon.

65. We will forever remember the courage, thetenacity,selflessness,andheroiccontributionbysomeoftheoutstandingworldstatesmensuchas theSwedishPrimeMinisterOlofPalmawhosacrificedforthenoblecauseofthestrugglefortheliberationofourcountry.

66. The President of the ANC Cde OR Tambo hadtosaythefollowingafterhisassassination:“The murderer’s gun that fired the fatal shot was aimed directly against the ANC and our people as well”.

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67. Our campaign for the mobilization of theinternational community gathered so muchattentionthatbythelateeightiestheANChad20diplomaticrepresentativeofficesinAfrica,14inEurope,and4 in theNorthAmericaandtheAsian countries respectively. Our movementessentially had more international diplomaticpresencethantheapartheidregime.

68. Today our democratic government led by theANC has the presence of the diplomatic aftertheUSA.WearethesecondbiggestforobviousthatthecityofNewYork, isthehostoftheUNGeneralAssembly.

69. Moreimportantlyourstrugglewasinterwovenwiththe internationalcauseforthepromotionof the values enshrined in the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights. As a result manyAfrican countries adopted the ANC struggleanthem“Nkosi Sikelela I-Afrika” astheirnationalanthempost-colonialindependence.

70. With this enormous international support, theANC was able to protect our struggle fromthe enemies of our revolution. Thanks to theprofound and tireless exemplary collectiveleadershipofPresidentORTambo.

71. We should also contextualise the period ofour armed struggle from the perspective ofinternationalism and solidarity. Our armedstruggle was to be unthinkable without themoralandmaterialsupportoftheinternationalcommunity.

72. Many countries of the world became secondhomes to the leadership of the movementbanished into exile by the racist apartheidregime.Thisinterconnectionofsolidaritymadethepeopleoftheworldtheintegralpartofourstruggleforfreedomandequality.

73. The process of negotiations in the late 1980was a culmination of intense pressure fromourpeopleandtheinternationalworld.Thanksto the visionary leadership of our movementfor making the world understand that theApartheidregimewasacrimeagainsthumanity.

74. ThecollapseoftheBerlinwallandsocialisminthe Soviet Union and Eastern European Statesinfluencedourtransitiontowardsthenegotiatedpoliticalsettlementinourcountry.Thecauseofevents in the world changed tremendously infavouroftheUSledimperialism.

75. At the same time the unbanning of ournational liberation movement and the releaseof our political prisoners was the victory ofthe struggle of our people and the world.The1994 democratic breakthrough was indeed acelebration of the struggle of the progressiveworldmovement.

76. Theadoptionofourdemocraticconstitutionwiththe fundamental bill of rights symbolised thecause of our struggle for freedom and equalityto the people of the world. Our constitutionborrowedheavilyfromconstitutionalexperiencesofvariouscountries,againhighlightingoursocial,economicandpoliticalvaluesas integraltotherestoftheworld.

77. The struggle led by the ANC is rooted ininternationalism and solidarity. Our commonvision is to build the world of peace andtranquillity.WewantpeaceintheMiddleEast,intheGreatlakes,Sudan,Palestine,Libya,Somalia,andmanyotherpartsoftheworld.

78. From the roots of its historical formation, theANCfirmlybelievedthatourcausefornationalliberationwouldachieveitsobjectives,whenallitsformations,includingthewomenandyouth,continue to occupy the forefront tranches ofourstruggle.Ouryouthandwomenformationsmade tremendous contribution towards theisolation of the racist Apartheid regime bothdomesticallyandinternationally.

79. TheaftermathoftheformationoftheWomen’sInternational Democratic Federation after theSecondWorldWar, sawCdeHelenJosephandLilianNgoyi,representingSouthAfricanwomeningeneralandANCwomen inparticular, inallconferences organised by the federation. ThisaddedthevoiceoftheANCinitsstruggleagainstcolonialismandimperialisminternationally.

80. Asaresult,theANCWomen‘sSection–asitwasknown during the years in exile, representedthewomenofthecontinentinboththeBureauandSecretariatoftheWIDFuntiltheendofthecoldwarinBerlinwhereitwasheadquartered.Subsequently the headquarters were movedbacktoParisinFrance.

81. ItisimportanttomentionthattheANCWomensection was a founding member of the PanAfrican Women’s Organisation (PAWO), theorganisation that preceded the formation oftheOrganisationofAfricanUnity(OAU).

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82. Through PAWO the ANC Women Section wasable to highlight the challenges facing theSouth African people. It was able to highlightthe problems of triple oppression confrontingthewomenofourcontinent.

83. Throughout the history of our struggle, theANC youth league participated in youth andstudent organizations across the world. AsmemberoftheWorldFederationofDemocraticYouth (WFDY) and the International Union ofSocialistYouth (IUSY), All Africa Student Union(AASU),theANCYLbroughttotheattentionofthe international community the plight of thestruggleofthepeopleofourcountry.

84. It is equally important to bring to the forethe most important question that the ANCwas also inspired by Pan African movementwhichemergedattheturnofthe20thcentury.Alongside conferences of the communistinternational in the period between worldwars,ANCleadersalsoattendedsomeofthe7

Pan-African Conferences that knitted togethera pan-African internationalist agenda aroundrights of the oppressed, mostly black people,solidarity,anti-imperialism,thelandrights,unityof Africa and reform of international politicaleconomy.

85. This is why ANC’s internationalism is anti-imperialist and pan-Africanist in its outlook.Without this acknowledgement, thiscommitmenttoAfricanRenaissancethatPrixleykaSemewellarticulated in1906,whichAlbertLuthuli and OR Tambo and also Thabo Mbekiconstantly emphasized, becomes incidentalrather than fundamental to the evolution ofANC’sinternationalism.

86. Internationalismandinternationalsolidarityhasbeenanimportantpoliticalpillarinthehistoryof our struggle for freedom and equality. TheANCalwaysunderstoodthatourstruggleisanintegralpartoftheworldwidestruggleagainstimperialismandcolonialism.

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INTRODUCTION■ TheANC’sinternationalrelationspolicyisInformed

by theFreedomCharter “there shall be peace and friendship” and bases its international relationson forging relations to carry forth its vision ofattaining a better Africa and a better world thatis humane, just, equitable and free. The ANC’sInternational relations further moves from thepremisethatitsforeignpolicyisanexpressionofthedomesticpolicy.Therefore,theANC,inpursuitof its international relations objectives aspiresto ensure peace on the continent and the globewhile pursuing South Africa’s national interests.However, South Africa’s national interests is notnarrowly focused on South Africa but includesensuring peace, stability and developmentthrough working collectively with politicalparties,progressiveorganisationsandprogressiveindividualsandgovernmentsofcountries,towardsthe development and progress of the people ontheAfricancontinent.

■ To ensure that international relations workis focused the ANC International RelationsProgrammeofAction(POA)isbasedonsixpillarsnamely:

o BuildingabetterAfricaandWorldinclusiveofpeace building, post-conflict reconstructionanddevelopment

o ContinentalandInternationalSolidarity

o Party-to-Party, Intra-party and MultipartyRelations

o TransformationoftheGlobalGovernance

o PolicyDevelopmentIssues

o Campaigns

■ As mandated that all ANC NEC Subcommitteesshouldfocusonthemainthemeof“Jobs, economic growth and youth development”fortheANC’sNECLekgotla, the contribution from the ANC NEC onInternationalRelationsisasfollows:

▼ JOBS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

At the ANC 53rd Conference we adopted thedocument “The second phase of transition from Apartheid colonialism to National Democratic Society” in which it emphasizes the following; “should be characterised by more radical policies and decisive action to effect thorough-going socio-

ANNEXURE 2

economic and continued democratic transformation, as well as the renewal of the ANC, the Alliance and the broad democratic forces”. In the light of thisshift in emphasis, we need to reiterate that ANCand government was mandated to implementEconomicDiplomacyinSouthAfricaasstipulatedby the International Relations resolutions of the52ndConferencebelow:

“Conference noted the advent of democracy has created new opportunities for South African business both in Africa and in the world, particularly in retail, mining, construction, engineering, bank services, communications services, agriculture, agri-processing etc.

It further noted that this opportunity whilst welcomed brings it new challenges in the relationship between South Africa and other African countries. Therefore:

The conference endorses the idea of strengthening economic capacity in South African embassies to assist South African businesses to gain access to available business opportunities abroad and on the continent; at the same time to encourage African countries to engage in intra-African trade and take advantage of positive economic developments on the continent. This will encourage trade and investment amongst African states and in the South, thus supporting national and continental interests, and further resolves that:

o The ANC, through government, should ensure that the intensification of economic diplomacy leads to changes of colonial patterns of economic relations, and creates possibilities for equitable and balanced North-South relations, transformation and beneficiation of African natural resources, sustainable flows of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and market access for products from the South to generate employment, and contribute to poverty eradication.”

o Therefore,SouthAfrica’sEconomicDiplomacyshould be accelerated to ensure that jobcreationbenefitsbothlocalsofthecountriesofwhichSouthAfricanbusinessesoperateaswellascreateopportunities foremploymentofSouthAfricans in thosecountriesat thesebusinesses.

o Government must develop a policy gearedto safeguard companies on risks involved

ECONOMIC GROWTH, JOBS AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

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in investing in the continent and south-south markets as a guarantee scheme andprovide capital for those projects whichgovernmenthasinterestsasawayofgrowingoureconomyandcreatingjobopportunities.Government (i.e. PICC - PresidentialInfrastructure Coordinating Commission)should further fast-track the InfrastructureRoll-out Programme on programmes thatconnectsSouthAfricatotherestofSouthernAfrica. Regional Economic Communities(REC’s)shoulddevelopthemodeladoptedbygovernmentsonthecontinentwhichlooksatregionalintegration,economicdevelopment,infrastructure development and people-to-people movement in the continent withparticularpriorityfocusonSouthernAfrica.

o SouthAfricahasbeengiventheopportunityto Chair the African Union (AU) North-Southof the continent to develop roads, railwayand ports, including projects as articulatedin NEPAD. Funding for this has been madeavailable and South Africa has made itscontribution to the Pan-African Fund.Other countries that have not made theircontributionsasyetshouldbeencouragedtodoso.ItisfurtherimportantforSouthAfricato fast-track the implementation of projectsunderourChairpersonship,asthefinalisationof this would promote intra-trade betweencountries markets and encourage initiativesmovingtowardfree-tradeagreements.ThiswillpositivelycontributetowardsdevelopmentinSouthern African Development Community(SADC)andthecontinent.

o South Africa is facing intense competitionin infrastructure projects on the Africancontinent, particularly because our BRICSpartnersgivecheapcredittotheircompanieswhich South Africa should learn from anddevelopourownresponsiveprogrammesthatwouldassistusinattainingourdevelopmentalgoals. In addition, South African companiesought to pay attention to increasing thequality of their products, and those doingbusiness abroad should be encouraged tosource their products from South Africa inordertoboostlocalproductionandincreaseemploymentopportunities.

o SouthAfricamusttakeaconsciousdecisionbydevelopingapolicy,legislation,regulationand guidelines to export South African skillsintotheregion,continentandtherestoftheworld where opportunities presents itself.for example, that gives rise to exportation

of labour enmass to other developed anddeveloping economies. For example, sincethe early 1990s South Africa has had anexcess of nurses that have ventured intofinding employment in the continent andothercountriesabroad. Similarlywe shouldencourage our lectures and other areasof labour to begin to seek employment incountries of the continent primarily andsecondaryinothercountriesabroad.

o WeencourageSouthAfrican’stotakejobsinmultilateral institutions as approved by thecabinetSecondmentPolicyonincentives.

▼ YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

■ African History and Liberation History should bepartoftheFoundationphasesubjectsatschoolsas we want to produce proudly African citizensin South Africa. It should be a prerequisite thatschools should be encouraged to fly the SouthAfrican Flag, SADC Flag and African Union Flagas well as sing the South African, SADC andAfricanUnionAnthem;asbuildingconsciousnessamongst young people to develop the passiontowardstakingopportunitiesinthecontinent.

■ There is a need to promote Portuguese, French,Spanish and Arabic in schools so that youngpeople could be encouraged to work for theinternational institutions where South Africais a member, such as the United Nations (UN),African (UN), International Labour Organisation(ILO)andsoforth.OpportunitiesmustbecreatedforSouthAfrican’saswellas toaccessexchangeprogrammes and this would further contributetothedevelopmentofourdomestictourismandSkillsingeneral.

■ DIRCO in partnership with other departmentsshouldbecreative insettingupprogrammesforSouthAfricanyouthtoexplorethecontinentandthe world in terms of education and business asa way of increasing the South African youth’sknowledgeonAfricaandtheWorld.

Scholarships and Training Opportunities

■ Government should develop a programme toencourage young people to study abroad withparticular reference to targeting the countriesthat could assist in fast-tracking skills that arerare in South Africa, with specific emphasis onSouthernAfrica,thecontinentandBRICScountriesand the rest of the world by using government

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scholarships, scholarship raised elsewhere andutilise learning institutions on the continent forchildrentoobtaintheirqualifications.

■ DIRCO should better communicate, coordinateand follow-up the scholarship and internshipprogrammes availed from their heads of SouthAfrican Missions, foreign embassies accreditedto South Africa and international agencies. Aconscious programme should be developedto ensure that all scholarship and internshipprogrammes are taken up by youth in SouthAfrican. The information received by DIRCOshould also be given to the ANC to disseminateto its constituencies and there should be aclear drive from constituencies to identify cableSouthAfricanyouththatcouldbeputintotheseprogrammes. The ANC and government shouldalsoactivelyencourageitsowncadresandcitizenstoparticipate insuchprogrammes. Recruitmentshouldtargetschool-going,post-schoolandout-schoolasaprioritybutalsothosethatarealreadyin the industries as a promotion of continuouslearningduetocontinualtechnologicalandskillschangesintheglobe.

■ Governmentshouldsetasideacertainpercentageof the scholarships it provides to South Africansto study internally and reallocate it to studentswanting to study abroad based on the Cuban-South African training programme that is asuccess.

▼ SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

■ The country Councils such as the Engineering,Medical Board, Legal Board must expeditethe accreditation of specialized skills so as tocreate opportunities for these specialists to seekemploymentinthecontinentandtheinternational.These will allow South Africans to acquire moreskills and knowledge that is required to developourcountry.Weshouldensurethatallspecialistsinthevariousfieldsofemploymentarecorrectlyaccredited at the various Councils such as theEngineering Council, Medical Board, Legal Board,etc.Thiswouldalsothencreatetheopportunitiesfor these specialists to seek employment in thecontinentandtheinternationalarena.

■ South Africa must develop skills of its citizens

in the required areas so that the South Africanscouldtakeadvantageofjobopportunitiesonthecontinent, South Africa must develop its citizenskillslevel.

Migration Issues

■ The policy on dual citizenship needs to bereviewed to making a thorough analysis of theprosandconsanddevelopingapolicyoptionthatwouldtakeSouthAfricaforward..

■ Migration laws should be reviewed in line withinternational laws and standards but with theview to protect the integrity and sovereignty ofthecountry.

■ Regulationofbusinesses hadbeendelegated tomunicipalities post apartheid. The legislation onbusiness and companies must be amended tobringbackthepowersfrommunicipalitiestotheNational government to enable the governmenttodealwithissuesoftheeliciteconomy.

■ Sectoral determination of salaries should beregulatedacrosstheboardwhetheroneisaSouthAfrica or Foreign employees to ensure that allpeopleinthecountrycontributetoSouthAfrica’stax base, except for those subjected to doubletaxation as well as ensure that all workers enjoylabour rights as enshrined in the South Africanlabourlaws.

FIGHTING CRIME, PEACE AND STABILITY■ Issues trans-national crimes must take a centre

stage by insuring that we coordinate efficientlyandeffectivelywithinternationalsecuritybodies,we are members of, such as INTERPOL. Crimestrategytodealwith InternationalSyndicatesoncounterfeit goods, human trafficking, protectionof endangered species, pouching of marineresources, amongst others, will have a positiveimpactasthesecrimesdirectlyaffectsjobcreationissues.

■ We need to analyse and review the new crimesthat are arising from transnational crimes that isdomesticatingitselfandhavinganegativeimpactoneconomicandjobgrowth.

Let’s go into a festival of ideas!!!

AMANDLA!!!!!

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