DIRCO Annual Report

4.3 Programme 3: International Cooperation

global governance architecture and international institutions with a view to improve their responsiveness to the needs of, and challenges faced by, developing states. In order to influence the global processes, South Africa must be represented at multilateral fora to engage, influence and negotiate and to articulate its positions and ultimately to have these positions reflected in the outcomes of multilateral meetings and processes. For South Africa to promote its national interest in the multilateral system, it must actively participate in and influence negotiations on the outcomes of multilateral processes and meetings. South Africa’s involvement in the engagement of multilateral processes and meetings is therefore to advocate for a reformed rules-based global system, which is equitable as well as responsive to its needs in particular, and the needs of the developing countries in general. The NDP stipulates that the Department of International Relations and Cooperation must retain an influential space for South Africa in key multilateral institutions. SUBPROGRAMME 3.1: SYSTEM OF GLOBAL GOVERNANCE The activities of the branch were directed mainly into three key focus areas: the response to the COVID-19 pandemic; the Chairship of the African Union (AU); and the completion of South Africa’s third term on the UN Security Council (UNSC). Work also continued in other areas of the Branch’s operations, most notably in the field of human rights. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the postponement of key conferences and negotiation processes at the UN related to sustainable development, such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP26) and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s COP15. However, South Africa actively engaged in virtual diplomacy to advance its national interests and those of Africa and the Global South in multilateral fora. A key priority was to support the efforts of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in guiding the international response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to lead the African continent’s reaction and then recovery response as Chair of the African Union. The President was appointed by the Director-General of the WHO alongside the Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg, as co-chairs of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) High level Facilitation Council in September 2020. The ACT Accelerator is the first and main

Purpose: Participate in international organisations and institutions in line with South Africa’s national values and foreign policy objectives Subprogramme 3.1: System of Global Governance Subprogramme 3.2: Continental Integration Subprogramme 3.3: South-South Cooperation Subprogramme 3.4: North-South Cooperation Description: South Africa is committed to multilateralism and a rules-based international order and to this end, participates and plays an active role in all fora of the United Nations (UN) system and its specialised agencies, funds and progammes, promoting the pillars of multilateral activity, namely: global security, sustainable development, human rights and international law. South Africa thus supports an equitable, just and representative UN system and its centrality in multilateralism and is also supportive of ongoing efforts to improve the effectiveness and accountability of the secretariats of these organisations. South Africa regards the UN as the foremost vehicle to advance the global development agenda and address underdevelopment and the eradication of poverty. To this end, South Africa upholds the belief that the resolution of international conflicts should be peaceful and in accordance with the centrality of the UN Charter and the principles of international law. South Africa’s foreign policy therefore recognises that in order to achieve a better life for all, development and security are best addressed through adequate attention to all global threats facing humanity. South Africa participates in the global system of governance to enhance international response to the needs of South Africa, Africa and developing countries through negotiations and influencing processes in the global governance system towards a reformed, strengthened and equitable rules-based multilateral system. South Africa’s multilateral engagements are premised on the need to advance the priorities reflected in the National Development Plan (NDP) as well as the development agendas of developing countries. A key aspect of this would be through the reform of the existing

Annual Report 2020/2021 I Vote No. 6

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