Pretoria, South Africa – When South Africa brought a case against Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) late last year, its Ministry of Foreign Affairs led the charge.
The then minister of international relations and cooperation, Naledi Pandor, met with lawyers and experts in The Hague in January, while the ICJ announced provisional measures in the case accusing Israel of committing genocide in its war against Gaza.
“We could not stand by and continue to watch the murder of thousands of Palestinian citizens who had no role in the terrible act of taking and killing hostages,” Pandor told journalists at the time, explaining the decision to appeal to the World Court.
The 70-year veteran minister urged judges to make Israel “end the enormous level of harm” against civilians in Gaza, and has been resolute in her country’s commitment to defending the rights of Palestinians.
Now, after a historic national election in May that changed the country’s top governance, South Africa has a new top diplomat. But will its foreign policy change? “No,” said an emphatic Ronald Lamola in an interview with Al Jazeera.
The 40-year-old, who was sworn in as foreign minister this month, said he will not be influenced by any global power as he heads the country’s international diplomacy.
“We should not be intimidated by anyone. We must be able to mediate conflicts and defend human rights without external pressure,” he said.
Lamola takes on the role at a critical time. While the nation is leading global efforts to hold Israel accountable for its actions in Gaza, it also faces ongoing conflicts across the African continent.
Lamola’s appointment follows Pandor’s retirement and the formation of a government of national unity (GNU) in the country last month. This occurred after the center-left African National Congress (ANC) – which led the country for 30 years – lost its parliamentary majority in elections for the first time and was forced to form a coalition to continue leading.
Lamola, like Pandor, is part of the ANC. Formerly South Africa’s justice minister, he is among the party’s top leaders and one of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s most trusted cabinet ministers.
Although the ANC managed to retain the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during coalition negotiations, it will now have to reach a consensus with other parties before major decisions – some with very different ideologies – can be taken.
The center-right Democratic Alliance, the second-largest party in the coalition, for example, remained neutral in Israel’s war against Gaza, while another coalition partner, the right-wing populist Patriotic Alliance, affirmed its support for the Israeli state.
South Africa’s principle of non-alignment in global conflicts remains firm, Lamola said, saying the country’s foreign policy will not waver despite the coalition government.
At GNU, its coalition agreement emphasizes a foreign policy rooted in human rights, constitutionalism, national interest and multilateralism, he added.
Different style, same substance
As a top diplomat, Pandor was known for her strong stance against Israel and her firm diplomatic approach.
Now, the country is preparing for the next phase of its effort to hold Israel accountable to the ICJ. The court will hear arguments on the merits of the genocide case against Israel, already found responsible for apartheid in a separate case.
“South Africa will continue to advocate for the accountability of Israel and the individuals responsible for the genocide. We welcome the ongoing process led by the ICC prosecutor,” said Lamola.
During initial hearings in January, when he was Minister of Justice, he told the World Court that the violence in Palestine and Israel did not begin on October 7, 2023.
According to foreign policy analyst Sanusha Naidu, Lamola is likely to maintain South Africa’s assertive stance towards Palestine, reflecting the approach of his predecessor Pandor.
“It’s all part of the broader picture of South Africa’s foreign policy as articulated by the ANC and the president,” she said.
Despite his age and newness to the role, Lamola is no stranger to political battles.
During former president Jacob Zuma’s tenure, amid numerous allegations of corruption, Lamola was a lone voice demanding Zuma’s removal from office, a stance many considered political suicide.
“He is very young, but Ramaphosa named him as someone he can trust on the international stage,” Naidu told Al Jazeera.
She said Lamola may impose a different style than his predecessor, Pandor, in global forums, but the country’s stance will remain consistent.
Naidu noted that while South Africa’s foreign policy is unlikely to change, global developments, such as the upcoming US elections in November, will have a significant impact on geopolitics and have profound implications for South Africa.
African conflicts
For Lamola, his immediate priority is to address issues on the African continent.
He expressed his commitment to the African Union (AU) initiative to “silence the guns” and achieve a conflict-free continent by 2030, although the International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns of an increase in conflicts, coups d’état and poverty in Africa, with the number of armed groups more than doubling in the last decade.
South Africa intends to mediate the conflict in Sudan, with President Ramaphosa engaging both conflicting sides to broker peace.
“Sudan is a major concern for the AU and was a key issue in my discussions with counterparts in Nigeria and Egypt. Bringing together all parties to the conflict for dialogue is essential for a lasting solution”, emphasized Lamola.
The IRC reports that more than 11 million people are internally displaced in Sudan, marking the largest internal displacement crisis in the world.
Elizabeth Sidiropoulos, head of the think tank South African Institute of International Affairs, highlighted South Africa’s interest in conflicts across the continent, particularly in Southern Africa and the Great Lakes region.
“The main challenge for the minister will be to effectively utilize our limited resources in both defense and diplomatic mediation for crucial conflicts on our continent,” she said.
Economic diplomacy
Lamola also emphasized his commitment to economic diplomacy, advocating favorable loan terms for African countries.
This comes amid mass protests in Kenya against high-interest loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other Western lenders, which many believe have exacerbated economic difficulties in that country.
For years, multilateral lenders, especially the IMF, have faced criticism in Africa for imposing strict lending conditions that disproportionately affect the poor.
Lamola plans to leverage South Africa’s global position, including its upcoming G20 presidency, to secure favorable financing for African development projects.
“We defend financing conditions that support development without harming sovereignty,” he explained.
Lamola also highlighted the importance of addressing climate change without compromising African development.
“Our transition must be fair and inclusive,” he said.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
