DIRCO Annual Report

During 2020, DIRCO also introduced the concept of country strategies. The aim of the strategies is to focus South Africa’s engagements with our political partners to ensure that these relations contribute towards the achievement of the objectives of the NDP and MTSF. It is also expected that this process will be completed during 2021. In order to effectively deliver on the above, we need a better DIRCO, which is well equipped to deal with the current challenges and whose expertise can contribute to achieving South Africa’s foreign policy objectives. During 2020, DIRCO embarked on an Organisational Structure Review, in an attempt to make the department more “fit-for-purpose”. It is expected that the process will be completed, and the new structure approved by the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) and National Treasury during 2021. As was the case in previous years, DIRCO continued to communicate South Africa’s role and position in international relations in both the domestic and international arenas, making innovative use of digital diplomacy, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Branch: State Protocol and Consular Services continued to play a pivotal role in the coordination of the international engagements of our political principals. The travel restrictions, which were brought about as a result of COVID-19, did not allow contact meetings between political leaders and their foreign counterparts. However, in spite of the pandemic, governments continued to function, and international engagements were held, albeit on digital platforms. The easing of travel restrictions towards the second quarter of 2020 heralded a resumption of contact meetings between our political principals and foreign counterparts. The branch also provided important consular services to distressed South African citizens abroad and played a vital role with regard to the repatriation of South Africans who were stranded abroad during the initial international COVID-19 lockdown. Despite challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Diplomatic Academy, through its digitisation process, managed to deliver most of its training programmes The capacity building programmes on conflict resolution, negotiation and mediation, which targeted international women, South African women and South African youth, also highlighted South Africa’s support for the thematic issue of“Women, Peace and Security”and contributed to the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the landmark UNSC 1325 Resolution, during October 2020.

On the bilateral side, South Africa, and its missions, focussed on increasing investment into South Africa, through strong investment promotion; pursued export promotion and identified new markets; promoted South Africa as a preferred tourism destination (which proved to be a challenge due to the travel restrictions imposed worldwide as a result of the pandemic) and political work aligned to the NDP and Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF). South Africa’s continued engagements with its strategic bilateral partners were in response to addressing national priorities, as reflected in the NDP. Structured bilateral mechanisms (SBMs) and high-level visits provide a strategic platform and tool to advance and promote bilateral relations and cooperation with partner countries. They are utilised to advance the national interest, as well as to establish a common position on issues relating to the global and continental agendas, respectively. COVID-19 constrained the department from pursuing a “normal” agenda as far as the conduct of bilateral relations was concerned. It was not possible to arrange high-level visits or in-person meetings during this period. As a result, most of these interactions were conducted virtually, in an attempt to continue to advance the objectives of the NDP and contribute to Government’s domestic priorities. During 2020, DIRCO launched a strategic review of the SBMs, with the aim of determining their effectiveness and relevance. It is expected that this process will be completed during 2021.

Annual Report 2020/2021 I Vote No. 6

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