DA leader Mmusi Maimane.
Addressing delegates at an event hosted by the South African Institute of International Relations in Cape Town, DA leader Mmusi Maimane painted a picture of what South Africa’s foreign policy would be like under their leadership, detailing their priorities and their views on the government’s policies.
Maimane on Monday evening said China’s currency woes were already crippling South Africa’s own and the potential nuclear deal with Russia would sink the economy.
This despite the African National Congress praising both China and Russia as exemplary in their national general council [NGC] discussion documents released last week.
In the discussion documents, the ANC says the “rise of emerging economies led by China in the world economy has heralded a new dawn of hope for further possibilities of a new world order. In the past twenty years of our democratic dispensation, we have witnessed an increased growth of trade relations between our country and the People Republic of China. China–South Africa trade and investment has been on a pedestal both quantitatively and qualitatively.”
But more still has to be done, the party believes.
The ANC also defends Russia as a victim of the “the wrath of US-led Western imperialism. As with China, the Russian leadership is constantly being portrayed in the Western media and official discourse as monsters abusing human rights.”
The DA, however, believe their foreign policies can take South Africa forward.
Presenting Vision 2029’s global outlook, Maimane said the country must not lose sight of the fact that the purpose of the foreign policy was to serve and promote South Africa’s national interest.
“And as things stand, Europe is still our biggest trading partner. It is simply not in our national interest to turn our back on the West, as we seem intent on doing.”
He said under a DA government, their foreign policies would cement the country’s place in Africa as a driver of regional growth and job creation.
“We will do away with the absurd notion that embassies are the dumping ground for failed cadres. We will see the return of the career ambassador and the end of the political appointee.
“We will prioritise the [Southern African Development Community] SADC integration with a particular focus on developing regional infrastructure to unlock the region’s trade potential and we will establish a Free Trade Area.”
Maimane criticised the country’s current foreign policies as vague and ineffective. He again lamented President Jacob Zuma’s handling of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir’s visit to the country, calling it a new low for the country.
“The reputation damage caused by that one incident will take years to fix.”
Maimane said under a DA government, the country would go back to first principles.
“We will return to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Oxford Manifesto and give expression to these documents in our foreign policy.
“To avoid the current foreign policy paralysis brought about by our involvement in every conceivable multilateral forum, we will prioritise quality over quantity. We will place the focus back on exercising influence within these forums, rather than mere participation,” he said on Monday.
Under the Vision 2029 DA government that Maimane envisions, a South African Council of International Relations will be established, Nepad and African peer review mechanisms will be strengthened. The party also plans to re-establish the SADC tribunal which was suspended in 2010 and dissolved in2012.
“Our foreign policy will form an integral part of the DA’s plan to turn our economy around, create millions of jobs and make it possible for every South African to build a better future,” said Maimane.