PC on International Relations & Cooperation Five-year Review: May 2009- March 2014 L Mosala...

PC on International Relations & Cooperation

Five-year Review: May 2009- March 2014

L MosalaFebruary 2015

1. BACKGROUND

1.1 What is it? Overview of Committee’s work in 4th Parliament Analysis of challenges encountered Committee’s response: work approach Work that remains outstanding Contains recommendations to enhance oversight Source document for 5th Parliament, reference Legacy for 4th Parliament

BACKGROUND cont…

1.2 Framework for Committee’s work Parliament’s strategic focus in 4th Parliament Government key priorities SONAs DIRCO’s Strategic Plan Committee’s Strategic Plan 2009-2014 Topical issues in the media Emerging issues of international relations nature

2. APPROACH/methodology

Briefings by DIRCO Stakeholders’ input (treaties, companies,

regional integration), civil society participation (elitist perceptions); public participation

Expert perspective/analysis Dialogues, symposia (opposing views:

Palestine, Cuba, Western Sahara), roundtables (role in BRICS)

Solidarity conference

3. APPROACH cont.

Response to changing trends in international discourse and events (political, social, economic)

Oversight and study tours Outreach programme/public dialogue (initiative and

response to DIRCO) Audience to visiting counterpart delegations Role of South Africa in multilateral fora. Conferment on cross-cutting issues (joint meetings) Media statements

4. FOCUS AREAS

Prog 1: Administration Frequency of meetings with political authority Expanding mandate vs recruitment delays Burdened budget: foreign exchange fluctuations Strategic allocation of resources Financial management of the ARF AG’s reports: Supply chain management; ICT Consular and civic services abroad; ROSA, LRPs Management of property portfolio abroad

FOCUS AREAS cont..

Prog 2: International Relations & Cooperation Enhanced African AgendaEnhanced SADC integration agendaEnhanced South-South relationsEnhanced North-South relationsSupport in participation in multilateral fora (2x UNSC; AUPSC, UNFCC; peace-keeping under UN), candidacy diplomacy

FOCUS AREAS cont.

Political (conflict hotspots): Arab spring; MENA region; CAR; SADC; Somalia, Nigeria, Syria – South Africa’s response

ARF interventions(humanitarian): Haiti, Somalia, Mali- projects list

Economic: recession in Euro zone; TDCA, SACU, SADC integration, BNC(Cuba), IBSA, BRICS, climate change

Peace & security: CAR, DRC, Sudan

FOCUS AREAS cont.

Prog 3: Public Diplomacy & State Protocol Importance of public diplomacy strategy, face of

SA foreign policy Proactive information; timeous (Myanmar, Libya,

Syria, Dalai Lama, CAR) Concern with reactive nature of public diplomacy

on principled policy positions Address perceptions Outreach programmes, protocol lounges, branding Para-diplomacy: Coordination mechanism

FOCUS AREAS cont.

Prog 4: International Transfers Activities of the African Renaissance Fund Timely payments on dues Contribution of SA in strengthening

international organisation, impact of input Quotas for employment of South Africans-

strategic positions (candidacy diplomacy) Payments for portfolios of other departments

THEMATIC ISSUES

Parliamentary oversight model vs mandate of Committee

Many messengers – one message, nature of foreign policy

Elitist nature of foreign policy Parliamentary diplomacy(AU,UNFCC, UN) Regional integration Conduct of SA companies abroad South Africa’s role in BRICS(punching above weight) Parliament’s role in treaty-making

Strategic stakeholders

Civil society organisations: DRC, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Jewish Board of Deputies, Muslim Judicial Council, Palestine Solidarity groups, Friends of Cuba

Government reps: Israel, Palestine, Morocco, Western Sahara, Cuba, Algeria

Academia, students, research institutions, expert analysis

Received petitions from PASSOP, DRC Met delegations of Iraq, Namibia, EU, Bulgaria, US

Senate

OVERSIGHT VISITS UNDERTAKEN Oversight model a challenge Oversight: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia-

supervisory; outreach to Limpopo & Western Cape; Durban-climate change state of readiness & State protocol

DIRCO Pretoria Study tours: Gaza; Palestine and Israel

TRAINING undertaken

Parliamentary diplomacy Para-diplomacy Political landscape-Middle East Protocol and etiquette Economic diplomacy Treaty-making processes Regional integration BRICS interface

FUTURE TRAINING

Consideration of legislation Protocol and etiquette Trending themes: parliamentary diplomacy;

development diplomacy; treaties; para-diplomacy; economic diplomacy; blue diplomacy; candidacy diplomacy; mediation; cooperation diplomacy

Foreign language

OUTSTANDING ISSUES

Comparative Study Tour: Parliamentary oversight model

Oversight/verification visit to ARF project areas: follow your aid

Implementation of bilateral treaties: JBCC, BNCs; implementation of multilateral treaties

Oversight to strategic economic partners on implementation of BNCs: follow your aid

Outreach process: 7 provinces Public diplomacy strategy vs communication

OUTSTANDING ISSUES cont.

Para-diplomacy-coordination mechanism- visits to municipalities/provincial offices

Oversight to DIRCO on each programme and key strategic objectives

Comparative Study tours on Committee oversight on SADPA, Foreign Service Bill

Observation oversight in summits-UN, AU, SADC, BRICS, Human Rights Council

Oversight visits to SA missions abroad as engines for conduct of foreign policy

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

DIRCO needs public diplomacy strategy Strengthen SA’s influence, reputation and

relationships internationally; promote international policy agenda that reflects core national interests; and improves domestic understanding of DIRCO’s role.

Advance targeted PD initiatives which promote economic, cultural, sporting, scientific and educational assets- to show SA as destination for business, investment, tourism, study

PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

Have communication strategy (media, radio, interviews, Ubuntu awards etc)- public participation very low; the how part;

Communicate internationally and nationally DIRCO’s commitment to economic diplomacy through foreign, trade, investment and development work, which aims to deliver greater prosperity for South Africa, the region, Africa and the world.

Communicate commitment to peace, mediation, human rights, capacity building etc

FUTURE NECESSARY LINKAGES To broaden participation, Committee create: Linkages with non-state actors in foreign policy Linkages with other committees in Parliament Linkages with municipalities and

provinces(para-diplomacy) Linkages with international counterpart

committees Practice Parliamentary diplomacy-links with

other parliamentarians

TOOLS OF FOREIGN POLICYOversight areas Soft power: ARF; facilitation/mediation

assistance; economic diplomacy(JBCC); good governance(elections); humanitarian assistance; post-conflict reconstruction; capacity building; candidacy campaign, public financial management; infrastructure development; SACU; DBSA; IDC; trilateral cooperation; development diplomacy(SADPA)

Hard power: peace-keeping-intervention force in the DRC (UN created)

I THANK YOU