By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Department of International Relations (DIRCO) has confirmed that Ebrahim Rasool will be returning to Washington for a second stint as the country’s ambassador.
Minister Ronald Lamola said during the media briefing on South Africa’s foreign policy, that the president’s decision to appoint Rasool was based on the need to appoint someone who could deal with matters in a bipartisan manner.
The country’s foreign policy has been a contentious issue in the government of national unity (GNU), with the Democratic Alliance (DA) criticising GNU partner the ANC for taking decisions without consulting other partners.
Rasool is also a former Western Cape premier and leader of the African National Congress (ANC) in the province.
Lamola said the president believes Rasool is the right man to engage both Democrats and Republicans.
“The president had to appoint someone who is able to also engage with the various think tanks in the US and the other important platforms that influence US foreign policy.”
He will be returning to Washington at a critical moment in South African-US relations after Trump’s sweeping victory in presidential elections, beating the Democratic Party’s candidate, Vice-President Kamala Harris.
Trump’s Republican Party also took the Senate from the Democrats and seemed likely to hold onto the House of Representatives. That would give him a very strong platform from which to launch his radical agenda.
And South Africa’s future relations with the US were looking rather unclear anyway as the ANC’s warm friendships with Russia, China and Iran had antagonised some influential members of Congress, mainly Republicans, who threatened to remove South Africa from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) as a result.
This legislation gives eligible sub-Saharan African countries, including South Africa, duty-free access to the lucrative US market for most of their exports. It has benefited several South African exporters, particularly of cars, wine and fruit.
Lamola has also emphasised that South Africa’s foreign policy remained intact.
The minister explained that the policy was rooted in the Constitution and guided by key documents, including the GNU’s Statement of Intent, the National Interest framework, the Foreign Services Act, and the National Development Plan.
None of those have been reviewed so they remain South Africa’s foreign policy and that’s what guides our work as the government of national unity.
“That is what also guides all ministers in the Cabinet of the Republic of South Africa as they undertake their responsibilities on behalf of the South African government,” he said.
Lamola stated that no minister has deviated from the established foreign policy, nor has there been any diplomatic incident arising from actions outside of this policy.
He stressed that all ministers operate under the mandate of the South African government, regardless of their political affiliations.