Pretoria, South Africa – When South Africa introduced a case towards Israel to the Worldwide Court docket of Justice (ICJ) late final yr, its international ministry led the cost.
Then-minister of worldwide relations and cooperation, Naledi Pandor, sat with legal professionals and consultants in The Hague in January because the ICJ introduced provisional measures within the case accusing Israel of committing genocide in its warfare on Gaza.
“We couldn’t stand idly by and proceed to look at the killing of hundreds of Palestinian residents who had no function within the terrible act of hostage-taking and killing,” Pandor instructed reporters on the time, explaining the choice to strategy the World Court docket.
The 70-year-old veteran minister urged judges to get Israel to “finish the huge stage of hurt” towards civilians in Gaza, and has been resolute in her nation’s dedication to standing up for the rights of Palestinians.
Now, after a landmark nationwide election in Could that shifted the nation’s prime governance, South Africa has a brand new prime diplomat. However will its international coverage change? “No,” stated an emphatic Ronald Lamola in an interview with Al Jazeera.
The 40-year-old, who was sworn in as international minister this month, stated he is not going to be swayed by any international energy as he steers the nation’s worldwide diplomacy.
“We shouldn’t be bullied by anybody. We should have the ability to mediate in conflicts and advocate for human rights with out exterior stress,” he stated.
Lamola steps into the function at a crucial time. Whereas the nation leads international efforts to carry Israel accountable for its actions in Gaza, it’s also confronting ongoing conflicts throughout the African continent.
Lamola’s appointment follows Pandor’s retirement and the nation’s formation of a authorities of nationwide unity (GNU) final month. This got here after the centre-left African Nationwide Congress (ANC) – which had led the nation for 30 years – misplaced its parliamentary majority in elections for the primary time and was pressured to type a coalition to proceed to steer.
Lamola, like Pandor, is a part of the ANC. Beforehand South Africa’s justice minister, he’s among the many social gathering’s senior leaders and considered one of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s most trusted cupboard ministers.
Although the ANC was in a position to maintain on to the international ministry in the course of the coalition negotiations, it is going to now want to achieve consensus with different events earlier than huge choices could be made – some with broadly differing ideologies.
The centre-right Democratic Alliance, the second greatest social gathering within the coalition, for example, has remained impartial on Israel’s warfare on Gaza whereas one other coalition accomplice, the right-wing populist Patriotic Alliance, has affirmed its assist for the Israeli state.
South Africa’s precept of non-alignment in international conflicts stays agency, Lamola asserted, saying the nation’s international coverage is not going to waver regardless of the coalition authorities.
Within the GNU, their coalition settlement emphasises a international coverage rooted in human rights, constitutionalism, nationwide curiosity and multilateralism, he added.
Totally different fashion, similar substance
As the highest diplomat, Pandor was identified for her robust stance towards Israel and her agency diplomatic strategy.
Now, the nation is gearing up for the following section of its effort to carry Israel accountable on the ICJ. The courtroom will hear arguments on the deserves of the genocide case towards Israel, already discovered chargeable for apartheid in a separate case.
“South Africa will proceed to advocate for holding Israel and people chargeable for genocide accountable. We welcome the continuing course of led by the ICC prosecutor,” Lamola stated.
Throughout preliminary hearings in January, when he was justice minister, he instructed the World Court docket that the violence in Palestine and Israel didn’t start on October 7, 2023.
Based on international coverage analyst Sanusha Naidu, Lamola will seemingly keep South Africa’s assertive stance on Palestine, mirroring his predecessor Pandor’s strategy.
“It’s all a part of the broader framework of South Africa’s international coverage as articulated by the ANC and the president,” she stated.
Regardless of his age and newness to the function, Lamola isn’t any stranger to political battles.
Throughout former president Jacob Zuma’s tenure, amid quite a few corruption allegations, Lamola was a lone voice demanding Zuma’s elimination, a stance many deemed political suicide.
“He’s very younger, however it’s seen as Ramaphosa appointing him as somebody he can depend on within the worldwide stage,” Naidu instructed Al Jazeera.
She stated Lamola might impose a special fashion than his predecessor, Pandor, at international boards, however the nation’s positioning will stay constant.
Naidu famous that whereas South Africa’s international coverage is unlikely to alter, international developments, such because the upcoming United States election in November, will considerably influence geopolitics and have profound implications for South Africa.
African conflicts
For Lamola, his quick precedence is addressing points inside the African continent.
He expressed dedication to the African Union’s (AU) initiative to “silence the weapons” and obtain a conflict-free continent by 2030, although the Worldwide Rescue Committee (IRC) warns of rising conflicts, coups and poverty throughout Africa, with the variety of armed teams greater than doubling up to now decade.
South Africa goals to mediate the battle in Sudan, with President Ramaphosa partaking each warring sides to dealer peace.
“Sudan is a serious concern for the AU and was a key challenge in my discussions with counterparts from Nigeria and Egypt. Bringing all fighters collectively for dialogue is crucial for an enduring resolution,” Lamola emphasised.
The IRC reviews that greater than 11 million persons are internally displaced in Sudan, marking the world’s largest inner displacement disaster.
Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, head of the assume tank South African Institute of Worldwide Affairs, highlighted South Africa’s vested curiosity in conflicts throughout the continent, notably in Southern Africa and the Nice Lakes area.
“The important thing problem for the minister will probably be successfully utilising our restricted assets in each defence and diplomatic mediation for essential conflicts on our continent,” she stated.
Financial diplomacy
Lamola additionally emphasised his dedication to financial diplomacy, advocating for beneficial mortgage situations for African nations.
This comes amid mass protests in Kenya towards high-interest loans from the Worldwide Financial Fund (IMF) and different Western lenders, which many imagine have exacerbated financial hardships in that nation.
For years, multilateral lenders, particularly the IMF, have confronted criticism in Africa for imposing stringent mortgage situations that disproportionately have an effect on the poor.
Lamola plans to leverage South Africa’s international place, together with its upcoming presidency of the G20, to safe beneficial financing for African improvement tasks.
“We advocate for financing situations that assist improvement with out impairing sovereignty,” he defined.
Lamola additionally burdened the significance of addressing local weather change with out compromising African improvement.
“Our transition should be simply and inclusive,” he stated.
