COMMITTEES: Hon Michalakis, in terms of the rule of the House, you know very well that the supplementary question must be linked to the original question but I will leave it to the DM.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION (MS K
C MASHEGO-DLAMINI): House Chairperson I won't be aware because I don't sit at the table of the President.
Question 30:
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION (Ms K
C Mashego-Dlamini): Chairperson, our response is as follows, since 1994, South African primary foreign policy priority was to accelerate our reintegration into the international community and to promote an international rule based system through active and constructive participation in multilaterals institutions and processes.
This policy is inspired by our history and guided by our ethos and principles foremost amongst which is the desire for a more just human and equitable world. In the conduct of our international relation, we thus attach the outmost importance to the promotion of human rights, democracy, justice and the international rule of law. This principle plays multilateral institutions, specifically the United Nation, UN, at the centre of our foreign policy activities. In the execution of our foreign policy, we seek and promote collaboration and co-operation amongst nations through multilateral diplomacy. In this context, as a member state of the UN, South
Africa remains committed to the purpose and principle of the United Nation as exposed in its chapters.
These principles form a core of the multilateral global governance system. The UN and global governance system it's however being challenged today by the increasing trend of populism coupled with rising nationalist sentiment and protectionist. This shift is quietly fuelled by the unequal spread of the benefit of globalisation, which has led to further inequalities. This has undermined social cohesion in societies, eroding respect for universal norms and their rejection of the rule based international orders.
South Africa actively engages in global multiracial bodies such as the UN, as well as the continental bodies such as the African Union and regional bodies such Southern African Development Community, SADC. We work with these bodies to ensure that collectively we are able to work with the countries of the globe to address peace, security, human rights, and development challenges facing us all.
Our membership of the United Nation Security Council for example is part of our efforts to make a positive contribution to international peace and security. I thank you.