Institute for Global Dialogue input on Department of International Relations and Cooperation 2012/13 Annual Report

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International Relations

09 October 2013
Chairperson: Ms M Kubayi (ANC)
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Meeting Summary

The Institute for Global Dialogue provided the Committee with an analysis of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s (DIRCO) 2012/13 Annual Report. A key factor that impacted upon the performance of DIRCO was changing geopolitical dynamics. There were also transnational challenges like the global financial crisis, terrorism and climate change. The DIRCO 2012/13 Annual Report essentially spoke to the African Agenda, strengthening south-south relations, strengthening south-north relations, participating in the global system of governance, and strengthening political and economic relations.

Regarding the African Agenda, the focus was on regional integration and infrastructure development. The Institute stated that the challenges were that Pan Africanism and the African Renaissance needed to be understood, there was stretched capacity in promoting safety and security, and there were uneven levels of development and imbalances in trade. The Committee was briefed on South-South relations, hearing that the country belonged to too many organisations and it was stretched too thin, there was a loss of momentum on the India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) agreement, and there should be greater focus on aligning political and economic strategies. The Institute explained that it was also important to get the partnership right between south and north countries, and not the European Union countries in the north. South Africa was encouraged to participate more in the global system of governance. Since the country was elected to have a seat at the United National, twice, it showed that the country had an active role to play in global governance. 

Other challenges identified by the Institute, included that DIRCO needed to work on measuring qualitative performance and outcomes that had implications for South Africa, cities and provinces were hiring people to deal with international relations but they did not have formal training, the exchange rate fluctuations were a constant challenge, DIRCO had to update its Information and Communications Technology, and more focus had to be given to language training, and diplomacy training on finance, health and economics.

The Committee’s Content Advisor highlighted some key issues that had emanated from an analysis of the Annual Report. DIRCO’s Asset Register was concerning even though the Committee had spoken about it before, there were issues regarding DIRCO’s organisation structure, public diplomacy needed to be expanded in order to audiences internationally and domestically, and there were still challenges attached to the registration of South African’s abroad. 

The Committee was concerned whether the country’s foreign policy developments were being communicated across to other countries. They noted a lack of co-ordination on diplomacy and a decrease in exports to SADC countries. Members asked how the country could become more effective in terms of international relations, and why the presentation did not say anything about the Middle East. They were also worried South Africa belonged to so many trade organisations; however, they were not benefiting from them. The Committee asked why the India, Brazil, and South Africa agreement was losing momentum.

The Committee’s Content Adviser gave the Committee an analysis of the Department’s 2012/13 Annual 

Meeting report

Election of Acting Chairperson and Apologies
Ms M Kubayi (ANC) was elected as Acting Chairperson due to the Chairperson being abroad.

The Acting Chairperson stated that the Department of Performance Management and Evaluation had tendered its apologies for not attending the meeting.
 
Analysis by the Institute for Global Dialogue on the 2012/13 Annual Report for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation
Dr Lesley Masters, Senior Researcher, Institute for Global Dialogue (IGD), provided the Committee with an analysis of the 2012/13 Annual Report for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). A key factor that impacted upon the performance of the DIRCO as reflected in its Annual Report was the changing geo-political dynamics. There were also transnational challenges like the global financial crisis, climate change, terrorism and nuclear weapons.

The 2012/13 Annual Report essentially spoke to five areas:

African Agenda
South Africa’s (SA’s) agenda focused on regional integration. This included concentration on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Presidential Infrastructure Championing Initiative (PICI), which focused on infrastructure development. There was additionally a focus on the role of the African Union, which SA was chairing and on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). The African Multilateral Branch of DIRCO had also been strengthened. Brazil, Russia, India, China and SA (BRICS) leaders had also been hosted.
Challenges:
- Pan Africanism and African Renaissance needed to be understood.
- There was stretched capacity in promoting safety and security.
- Uneven levels of development and imbalances in trade.

Strengthen South-South relations
The BRICS Summit had hosted the BRICS Development Bank, the Think Tank Council and the Business Council.
There was the India, Brazil and SA (IBSA) trilateral forum. In contrast to BRICS it had a Secretariat.  DIRCO had held a closed session with IBSA. There was also the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) partners to which SA was part of, which did not align themselves with or against any of the major powers.  
Challenges:
-SA belonged to too many organisations and it was stretched too thin.
- There was loss of momentum on IBSA.
- There should be greater focus on aligning political and economic strategies.

Strengthen south-north relations
It was key was to get the partnership right between south and north countries. The Annual Report mainly focussed on strategic dialogue with the European Union.
Challenges:
-What about the rest of the north. There was heterogeneity of the north.
- What would be the impact of the United Kingdom stopping aid to SA?

Participate in the global system of governance
SA was elected twice to have a seat at the United Nations. It showed that SA had a role to play. Resolution 2033 of the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council codified the relationship between the Security Council of the United Nations and the Security Council of the African Union.
SA also contributed towards negotiations on disarmament. SA was also part of the G20
Challenges:
-How would SA push for United Nations reforms?
- SA was part of the G20 but there were restrictions on numbers. Other countries were excluded from these so called small clubs.

Strengthen political and economic relations
Efforts covered Southern Africa, East Africa, Central Africa and West and North Africa.
DIRCO had 125 missions focussed on Africa. There was also an economic diplomacy training programme.

Challenges facing DIRCO:
-DIRCO needed to work on measuring qualitative performance. How to measure outcomes that had implications for SA as a country.
- The role of business diplomacy was growing.
- Cities and provinces had persons dealing with international relations and no formal training had been given to them.
- Exchange rate fluctuations were a constant challenge.
- DIRCO needed to update its ICT.
- More focus should be given on language training.
- Diplomacy training on finance, health and economics was needed.

Areas for further consideration:
-South-south cooperation with countries like Venezuela and Colombia etc
-North-south partnerships. The Africa-American Trade Initiative (AGOA) was to be renewed in 2015.
- SA was elected to the UN Economic and Social Council (UNECOSOC)
- SA had developed the Square Kilometre Array Telescope but it was not mentioned in the Annual Report.
- Climate change and sustainable development not covered in Annual Report either.
- There was also no priority focus on energy.
-  DIRCO should engage in the effective utilisation of resources ie by upgrading its ICT and engaging new methods of diplomacy.
- The South African Development Partnership Agency had not been operationalised as yet. What was the role of parliament regarding oversight over it. What was the accounting mechanism for it?

On domestic foreign policy linkages, DIRCO had engaged on roadshows and on stakeholder engagement. The problem was that there was not enough translation of achievements internationally on benefits locally.

Discussion
The Acting Chairperson thanked Dr Masters for the presentation and asked that a copy of the presentation be distributed amongst members.

Ms F Mohamed (ANC) asked whether it was correct that SA’s foreign policy developments were not communicated across to others. There was a lack of co-ordination on diplomacy. What were the gaps?
Referring to SADC decrease in exports for instance, she asked whether Dr Masters had listed positive and negative indicators. She also pointed out that there were instances when donors did not meet their commitments to provide donor funding. If SA was outstretched in capacity on peace and security, how did Dr Masters see SA becoming more effective? She further noted that the presentation had been silent on the Middle East.

Dr Masters said that gaps in policy and diplomacy co-ordination were a huge problem. It was a project which the IGD wished to undertake. There should be a standardised toolkit available in order to inform people on what SA’s foreign policy was. At present things were very much disco-ordinated.
Economic development co-operation was a key area in foreign policy. SA had now also become a donor. The IGD had researched the issue and would be happy to make a presentation to the Committee.
She explained that the Middle East had not been mentioned in the presentation because it had not been mentioned in the Annual Report. Engagement on the Middle East issue was difficult as things were changing in the region. SA saw North Africa as part of Africa, whereas Europe saw North Africa as being part of the Middle East. The Middle East was a difficult area for SA to engage on. Strategic thinking on it was needed.

Mr B Elof (DA) pointed out that SA belonged to many clubs and organisations. The problem was that one did not see any benefits coming out of belonging to those organisations. He referred to the term mentioned in the presentation “spaghetti bowl effect” which was used to describe the fact that many of those organisations stood for the same purpose.

Dr Masters replied that perhaps DIRCO’s multilateral branch could elaborate on what the benefits were of belonging to various organisations. It would be useful as often bilaterals were entered into and the agreement ended up just being filed.  She added that the concept of “national interests” needed to be defined. Various elements which comprise “national interests” could be forwarded to the Committee and be explained.

Mr B Skosana (IFP) asked what the implications of changing geo-political dynamics were. There was also a reluctance of some African states to work together. Perhaps it had something to do with their political sovereignty. What about their economic sovereignty? How did one encourage African countries to work together? He felt that there was still a need to grasp the concept of “development”.

Mr Skosana referred to the North-South relations and asked how the United States of America fitted into this. There was talk of the Security Council of the United Nations being transformed. How realistic was this expectation given that the powerful nations put their interests first. There was perhaps a chance of reform in the Security Council but it was different to transformation. After 20 years of democracy in SA was Africa getting better?

Mr Skosana further asked why IBSA was losing momentum. Was BRICS eclipsing it? If diplomats were now receiving specialist training in economics etc, what was to happen to the old type of diplomat?
Was SA entering into a dialogue on AGOA? He pointed out that there were international trade agreements that impacted upon the domestic scene in SA.

Dr Masters remarked that SA’s first term at the United Nations was a wakeup call on how the dynamics worked at the UN. There was political dynamics at play. The P5 (Permanent Members comprising of the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China and France) would not give up their veto powers. There was a serious discussion needed on reform on the Security Council. It would be a difficult long process. It was however not impossible. All was not lost as there was still the General Assembly of which Africa made up a third. Capacity could be built up.

Dr Masters addressed the question as to whether Africa was better. She said that perceptions of Africa were changing and it was seen as the continent of hope. Africa had many areas of achievement but the bad areas tended to overshadow things. Africa was better and it needed to move forward all the time.
Regarding the loss of momentum on IBSA, she noted that it was largely due to the economic visibility of BRICS. IBSA has been working but its efforts had not been highlighted. Many were of the opinion that IBSA could do more than BRICS.

Dr Masters noted that the generalist diplomat versus the specialist diplomat was a challenge. The generalist diplomat was needed to deal with political issues and the specialist diplomat was needed to look at specific areas like economics. The generalist diplomat could be the overseer. Dialogue was needed over the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) issue.

The Acting Chairperson said that Mr Kofi Annan had addressed the issue of the UN Security Council about Africa and India not having seats on it. She added that the media played a major role in things. For example on the news they always just played a glimpse of what President Zuma said in his addresses. In other African states Presidents were given greater respect.

Analysis of 2012/13 Annual Report of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation by the Committee’s Content Advisor
Ms Lineo Mosala, Committee Content Advisor highlighted some key issues which had emanated from her analysis of the Annual Report. They were as follows:
The Asset Register of DIRCO was an issue which the Committee had previously discussed with DIRCO. There were still challenges on it. The DIRCO needed to reconcile the number of its properties but it had encountered ICT problems.
There were also issues with its organisational structure. The National Development Plan had advised that they needed to align their capacity with its mandate. The number of missions had increased and consequently costs had also gone up.  The question was about how the DIRCO was to think strategically in expanding its representation.
Public diplomacy also needed to be expanded in order to cover audiences internationally and domestically.
There were also still challenges attached to the registration of South African’s abroad.
On the issue of the ARF, the Committee would be briefed by the Auditor-General the following week.

The meeting was adjourned. 
 

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