In the spirit of Ubuntu 2 UBUNTU diplomacy in action Issue 1 www.dirco.gov.za DIRCOza @theDIRCOza thedircoza Issue 1 diplomacy in action UBUNTU 3 UBUNTU a Nguni word meaning humanity The Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s quarterly magazine Editor-in-Chief Clayson Monyela UBUNTU DIPLOMACY IN ACTION ISSUE1 Managing editors Michelle Greeff and Salome Baloi Editor www.dirco.gov.za DIRCOza @theDIRCOza thedircoza UBUNTU Delien Burger diplomacy in action Design Editor Issue 1 Muzi Msimanga Advertising Zengeziwe Msimang ON [email protected] THE COVER Tel: +27 12 351 0919 Distribution Thembakazi Zulu THE UNION [email protected] BUILDINGS Tel: +27 12 351 1169 IN PRETORIA 16 BRICS BANK Photographers AU COMMISSION COULD BE A CHAIRPERSON Jacoline Schoonees, Unathi Ngamntwini, Yolande Snyman, GAME-CHANGER VICTORY FOR Brand South Africa, GCIS SOUTHERN AFRICA YVONNE Foreword UNSC SOUTH AFRICA’S CHAKA CHAKA GOODWILL Proofreading PRESIDENCY AMBASSADOR TO THE UN Lebogang Maifadi and Mongezi Zithutha SKA AFRICA PROUD HOST Special thanks A better South Africa * A better Africa * A better world Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor 7 Foreword CEO of Brand SA, Miller Matola Director at the IGD, Siphamandla Zondi UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay 10 The Editor’s note Yvonne Chaka Chaka The Union Buildings Director: South Africa Fashion Week, Lucilla Booyzen The Union Buildings forms the official seat of the South African Government and also houses the To subscribe offices of the President. The imposing buildings are Send an e-mail with the words SUBSCRIBE UBUNTU in the located in Pretoria, atop Meintjieskop at the northern subject line, your organisation, e-mail address, and delivery end of Arcadia, close to historic Church Square and Diplomacy address in the body to [email protected] the Voortrekker Monument. The large gardens of the buildings are nestled between Government Avenue, 42 Subscription/back issue enquiries Madiba Street (Vermeulen Street East), Stanza Bopape [email protected] Street (Church Street, the R104) and Blackwood Street. Fairview Avenue is a closed road where only Publisher officials can enter the Union Buildings. Though not in 18 A victory for South African The Department of International Relations and the centre of Pretoria, the Union Buildings occupies Cooperation (DIRCO) ©2012 the highest point in Pretoria, and constitutes a South diplomacy, a victory for Tel: +27 12 351 1000, www.dirco.gov.za African national monument. Private Bag X152, PRETORIA, 0001, The buildings are one of the centres of political southern Africa and Africa! Republic of South Africa life in South Africa. It has become an iconic landmark 460 Soutpansberg Road, Rietondale, Pretoria, 0084, of Pretoria and South Africa in general, and is one Republic of South Africa, Tel: +27 12 351 1000 of the most popular tourist attractions in the city and an emblem of democracy. Like an ancient temple 20 Africa is rising Printing adorning over the city it governs, the Union Buildings is Uhuru Communications, Tel: +27 21 657 4800 a modern-day acropolis. 22 Complex South Africa, Africa and the projection of national interests No portion of this magazine may be produced in any form without the written permission of the 24 An assessment of publishers. DIRCO is not responsible for unsolicited material and reserves the right to amend and to alter copy and visual material as deemed necessary, all copyrights are reserved. Views South Africa’s Presidency of in Ubuntu are not necessarily those of DIRCO or those of the South African Government. They can accept no liability of whatsoever nature arising out of or in connection with the contents the UNSC of this publication. 28 COP17/CMP7 – the Durban Outcome 32 South Africa – an important building brick within BRICS 31 39 “BRICS bank” – Could be a 62 Africa is proud to host the game-changer SKA 33 42 South Africa’s foreign policy 66 Profile: United Nations responds to domestic High Commissioner for priorities Human Rights 44 South Africa taking diplomacy 70 South Africa’s Goodwill to the people through the Ambassador for the United DIRCO public participation Nation’s Roll Back Malaria programme Partnership 45 48 Taking stock of the current challenges facing the AU Lifestyle 76 50 Cultural diplomacy and sports as tools for nation-building and development 72 South Africa Fashion Week 54 Consular Services for citizens 74 Travel guide and tips abroad 26 76 Pentravel top 5 holiday ideas for 2012 77 Feature 78 Freedom Park – a heritage destination 59 Who is Brand South Africa? 60 FTA a tremendous opportunity 18 76 62 71 72 61 FOREWORD LETTER FROM THE MINISTER he basis of South Africa’s foreign policy Our country emerged from conflict to become a peaceful is embodied in the Freedom Charter of democracy and we are now working for peace on the 1955. The Freedom Charter proclaims continent and in the world. We participate in peace and that there will be peace and friendship, security matters in SADC, such as in Zimbabwe and and outlines the following aspects of Madagascar. As part of the AU, our peace efforts include T foreign policy: Libiya, Sudan and Cote d’ Ivoire; and in the Great Lakes region, participating in peace efforts in Burundi, the • “South Africa shall be a fully independent state which Democratic Republic of Congo and other countries. respects the rights and sovereignty of all nations; One of our major accomplishments which enable us to participate more in peace-making, was the re-election • South Africa shall strive to maintain world peace of South Africa to a non-permanent seat in the United and the settlement of all international disputes by Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2011 – 12 term. negotiation – not war; We believe we are playing a constructive role, pursuing • Peace and friendship amongst all our people shall be the interests of our country and the continent. secured by upholding the equal rights, opportunities Our pressing priority currently is the reform of and status of all; international institutions, including the UNSC as Africa and Latin America are not represented as permanent • The right of all peoples of Africa to independence members on the council. As South Africa, we believe we and self-government shall be recognised, and shall can play a critical role as a permanent member of the be the basis of close cooperation.” UNSC, advancing the interests of the continent. The time “We seek to live in peace with our neighbours and the has come for Africa to be represented at that level in this peoples of the world in conditions of equality, mutual world body. respect and equal advantage.” – Oliver Reginald Tambo, Our foreign policy also entails effective economic 1977, former president of the African National Congress. diplomacy. We work to attract investments and tourism, South Africa’s foreign policy is an extension of our remove barriers to trade, support the development of domestic priorities and our value system. As South larger markets in Africa and expand the markets for Africans, we believe in a democratic and open society in South African products. This is linked to our domestic which government is based on the will of the people and imperative of eradicating inequality, unemployment every citizen is equally protected by the law. We believe and poverty. The five domestic priorities are education, in a society based on democratic values, social justice health, rural development and land reform, creating and fundamental human rights. To implement this vision, decent work and the fight against crime. our foreign policy is based on four central pillars: South Africa participates in various multilateral forums, including SADC, the AU, the Non-Aligned • we give priority to the Southern African Development Movement, G77 plus China, the Commonwealth, the Community (SADC) and Africa as a whole BRICS bloc (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), the India-Brazil-South Africa forum and the UN. • we work with countries of the developing South to Although we have relations with various regions and address shared challenges of underdevelopment countries, South Africa’s foreign policy is independent and and promote global equity and social justice decisions are informed by our national interest – benefits • we work with countries of the developed North to to the South African people and the advancement of our develop a true and effective partnership for a better domestic priorities. world In the three years of the third Administration, we • finally, we play our part to strengthen and transform have been building on our achievements and lessons the multilateral system, to reflect the diversity of learnt on the foreign policy front since 1994 through our nations, and ensure its centrality in global an approach based on both continuity and change. We governance. have continued to consolidate our strategic advances and areas of strength in our foreign policy and, at the While working on the four pillars, Africa remains our top same time, found novel and innovative approaches to priority. At a multilateral level, we participate actively improving on our work by tackling new challenges. in SADC and African Union (AU) programmes and Eighteen years on since 1994, our country is standing activities, promoting African renewal, unity as well as tall in the global family of nations. social and economic development. Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Foreword Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane Foreword www.dirco.gov.za DIRCOza @theDIRCOza thedircoza Issue 1 diplomacy in action UBUNTU 7 Let’s talk SA’s foreign policy Union (AU) to champion infrastructure development. With regard international relations to respect and influence, I don’t know of any ad-hoc high-level committee of the AU that has excluded the President. & cooperation Department: South Africa’s membership of BRICS has three objectives: International Relations and Cooperation to advance our national interests; to promote regional integration REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA and related infrastructure programmes; and to partner with key players of the South on issues of global governance reforms.