The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) will this year focus on economic diplomacy, seeking to facilitate and attract more foreign direct investment to support President Cyril Ramaphosa’s drive to attract $100-billion to South Africa.
Speaking during her department’s budget vote, Minister Naledi Pandor said, “We want more opportunities for the export of South African goods and services, more tourist arrivals and more opportunities for South African youth to acquire skills.”
DIRCO’s total budget allocation for the 2019/20 financial year is R6 508 billion. Some 68% of it is utilised to support 125 missions in 108 countries across the globe, according to Pandor.
“A major challenge of our budget, especially for the missions abroad, is the effect of foreign exchange rate fluctuations, particularly the performance of the Rand against the dollar. Treasury allocates according to a specific rate and makes no compensatory adjustments.”
She said her department has begun discussions on how to do more with limited resources.
“We will review our mission numbers and consider whether a re-organisation is merited. We are expected to utilise public resources in a careful manner, following all the prescripts as provided in law, particularly the Public Finance Management Act,” Pandor said.
The minister said South Africa’s foreign policy is, and has always been based on the country’s vision of championing a democratic, peaceful and prosperous African continent and a united South Africa that which works for a world that is just and equitable.
She announced that SA will assume the Presidency of the UN Security Council in October 2019.
“Debates on the international relations budget and programme are incomplete if they are not associated with the tremendous role the international community played in supporting us to achieve freedom,” Pandor pointed out.
“The work of DIRCO must “always reflect the commitment to return the privilege of international solidarity with attention to the plight of those who seek refuge, democracy, freedom and peace, the minister said making a reference to Palestine.
“I also think South Africa has a lot to offer the world in terms of cultural diplomacy. I have asked our missions to make sure they don’t neglect this part of our work,” Pandor added.
