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

1. PC on International Relations & CooperationFive-year Review: May 2009- March 2014 L Mosala February 2015

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. FOCUS AREAS cont.. Prog 2: International Relations & Cooperation • Enhanced African Agenda • Enhanced SADC integration agenda • Enhanced South-South relations • Enhanced North-South relations • Support in participation in multilateral fora • (2x UNSC; AUPSC, UNFCC; peace-keeping under UN), candidacy diplomacy

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. TRAINING undertaken • Parliamentary diplomacy • Para-diplomacy • Political landscape-Middle East • Protocol and etiquette • Economic diplomacy • Treaty-making processes • Regional integration • BRICS interface

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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)

22. I THANK YOU