1 Department of Foreign Affairs Strategic Plan 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08 __________________________________ Presentation to the Parliamentary Portfolio

1

Department of Foreign Affairs

Strategic Plan2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08

__________________________________

Presentation to the

Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on

International Affairs

April 2005

_____________________________

Strategic Plan - April 2005

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Structure of Strategic Plan

Overall conformity with the stipulations of the PFMA

Part 1 :• includes foreign policy objectives; strategic objectives; priorities for the Ministry and SA’s

regional and multilateral interests

Part 2 :

• presents the Department’s key performance areas:

Section 1 : outlines the Department’s medium-term priorities and objectives

Section 2 : outlines the service delivery improvement programme

Section 3 : outlines resource allocation per departmental objective

Part 3:

Section 1 : outlines the Department’s Asset Management Plan

Section 2 : outlines the Information and Communications Technology Plan

Section 3 : includes the Human Resources Plan and the organisational structure


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Focus of Strategic Plan : Political Dimensions

• Consolidation of the African Agenda

• South-South co-operation

• Political and economic relations

• Global Governance– political issues

– socio-economic issues

– security issues


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Consolidation of the African Agenda

Strengthening of AU and its organs• Finalise AU budget, immigration regulations, common African Defence and Security Policy

• Operationalise Specialised Technical Committees, ECOSOCC, African Court of Justice, African Court on Human and People’s Rights, early warning system

• Implement AU Gender Declaration

• Support Pan-African Parliament, Peace and Security Council

• Strengthen AU-EU co-operation

• Establish African Standby Force

• Review White Paper on peace missions

• Engage African Diaspora

SA participation in SADC/SACU• Complete SADC restructuring and strengthen its governance and capacity

• Work for implementation of RISDP and rationalisation of RECs

• Strengthen SA role as Chair of SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security

• Facilitate SACU negotiations with India, China, USA and MERCOSUR


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Implementation of NEPAD• Capacity/political support for implementation of NEPAD programmes in priority sectors

• Strengthen SA’s NEPAD co-ordination mechanisms and leadership in its various sectors

• Establish Continental Development Funds for projects

• Support integration of existing sectoral NEPAD action plans into AU/SADC processes

• Operationalise APRM (24 states have now joined)

• Focus on attainment of MDGs in Africa

Peaceful resolution to conflicts/post-conflict reconstruction & development• Military personnel/equipment to mandated AU and UN peacekeeping missions

• SA’s role as Convenor of Sudan Post-Conflict Reconstruction Committee of the Au

• Consolidation of peace processes (Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Somalia, Sudan)


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Implementation of current peace processes• Support to consolidation of peace processes and post-conflict reconstruction: Angola, Comoros, Côte

d’Ivoire, Burundi, DRC, Ethiopia/Eritrea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan

• Engage key role-players in implementation of peace process in Western Sahara

• Encourage revitalisation of Arab Maghreb Union

• Assist Algeria in establishing AU Centre on Terrorism

• Support implementation of Humanitarian Assistance Programme to Sahrawi Arab Democratic Rep.

• Support peace building initiatives through early warning systems and co-ordinating role-players

Regional/continental strengthening of democracy• Assist in strengthening electoral processes and infrastructures

• Assist in institutional and capacity building to promote democracy and good governance

• Support to the APRM process

• Monitor political/socio-economic developments that could influence peace and stability

• Support strengthening of regional economic structures to enable economic development


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Strengthening bilateral relations• Opening of new missions: Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Rep of Congo (Brazzaville)

Promote South-South co-operation• Co-chair Asia-Africa Summit with Indonesia and use AASROC process to establish New Asia-Africa

Strategic Partnership

• Market NEPAD through TICAD, China-Africa Co-operation Forum, India-Africa Fund, Vietnam-Africa Forum, Iran-Africa Fund, AASROC

• Support for Agenda of the South and African Agenda through IBSA, NAM and G77 South Summit

• Conference on Progressive Governance (SA, 2005)

North-South co-operation to support African Agenda• Continued engagement of G8, Commission for Africa, Africa Partnership Forum, UNO, EU, OECD,

WTO, IMF, World Bank and WEF on market access; agricultural subsidies; capital flows and investment into Africa; increased ODA to meet MDGs; debt relief; implementation of commitments made


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Unique opportunities to redefine strategic partnerships• UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel Report on Threats, Challenges and Change; UN Millennium

Project (Sachs) Report: Investing in Development; and the UK Commission for Africa Report: Our Common Interest

• UN Secretary-General’s Report (March 2005), which will serve as a basis for the UN MDGs +5 Review Summit in September 2005

• G8 Summit (July 2005), which will review implementation of the 2003 G8 Africa Action Plan

South-South Co-operation

Promote South-South co-operation, North-South relations, Agenda of the South,IBSA and its programmes


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Political and Economic Relations

Overall:

Expand tourism promotion• Through co-operation with DEAT, SA Tourism, Tourism Business Council of SA and SAA, and the

DFA-led Tourism Working Group• Focus on Africa, South America, Russia, expanded Europe and Central Europe

Relations with new markets/increased dialogue with Central/Eastern Europe• Improve/strengthen representation to engage Central/Eastern Europe on various

political/economic issues

Conclude framework agreements for FTAs with China, India, EFTA and the USA• Continue working towards conclusion of framework agreements

Support bid for Square Kilometre Array• Priority outcome of R&D strategy

• Strengthening research development and capacity building in science and technology


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Global Governance : Political

UN Reform• Promote multilateralism/respect for international law to achieve global political and economic stability

and security

• Implement national positions on UN reform informed by African Common Position

• 2005 Millennium Review Summit

UN programmatic, budgetary and administrative focus• Ensure SA and African interests adequately catered for, working through the Africa Group and G77 &

China

Implementation of Global Agreements• WCAR Durban Declaration and Programme of Action - sustained international follow-up

• Complete ten-year progress review of Beijing Platform of Action


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Global Governance : Economic

Prevent ‘securitisation’ of international development agenda

• Preserve role/powers of ECOSOC, as elected organ of General Assembly to deal with

developmental issues, enhanced by Millennium Review Summit outcomes and UN Secretary-

General’s reform proposals

• Work to prevent narrow focus of development challenges in security terms

Democratisation of Bretton Woods institutions/reform of global financial system

• Improve developing country representation

• Stabilise global financial system

• Effective developing country participation, particularly those in Africa, in international norm setting

and rule making

Increased market assess through WTO

• Manage and increase involvement of both SA and DFA in various negotiation processes

• Established Permanent Trade Forum to improve co-operation/capacity building

• Strengthen WTO representation in Geneva

Strategic Plan - April 2005Strategic Plan - April 2005

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Global Governance : Economic

Attainment of MDGs

• Continued engagement to mobilise adequate resources

• Continued drive on key areas blocking developing countries reaching MDGs

• Millennium Project (Sachs) Report

Monterrey Consensus follow-up (FfD)

Implementation of Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI)

International engagement on climate change

• SA responsibilities following coming into force of Kyoto Protocol

• Strengthen the Designated National Authority to attract/operationalise Clean Development

Mechanism projects in SA


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Global Governance : UN Conferences/Summits

Implementation and Follow-up

Strengthen policy/programme coherence/effectiveness of SA’s activities in

response to action plans/development goals of major UN conferences/summits

• Integrated and co-ordinated response to conference/summit outcomes

• Monitoring deadlines/advice on reporting obligations

• Dissemination of information

• Consultation to advocate common positions at multilateral centres

• Co-ordination to develop coherent responses to reviews/appraisals of major UN conferences


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Global Governance : Security

Continued engagement with UN anti-terrorism campaign/UNSC resolution compliance• Efforts to remain within framework of UN and other multilateral institutions

• Ensure actions against terrorism do shift focus from poverty/underdevelopment

Disarmament/non-proliferation• Remain active against conventional weapons proliferation, including small arms and light weapons;

disarmament, especially WMDs; and participate in critical international regimes

Peaceful conflict resolution/UN pre-eminent role in reconstruction/development in Iraq

Post-conflict reconstruction/development in Middle East• Continue dialogue at political/civil levels and host Spier II

Co-operation in fighting organised crime• Effective participation in national/international crime forums and SA presidency of Financial Action Task

Force in June 2005

Prevention of human trafficking• Effective participation in international meetings/conventions and adoption of relevant legislation


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Asia and Australasia

• Currently SA is represented by 17 resident missions in 15 countries and territories

• Strategic importance to SA trade continues; it remains vital to sharpen SA expertise/capacity in the region to raise the trade and investment profile of SA products and services

• Training opportunities for Foreign Affairs/mission officials offered by Singapore and UAE on trade and investment promotion

• Significance of China and India as future sources of investment to SA - FTAs with SA in progress

• Economic opportunities offered in Central Asia, the potential of which remains largely unexplored

• Micro missions planned for Fiji, which hosts Secretariat of the Pacific Islands Forum, and in Sri Lanka

• Africa-Asia co-operation: TICAD (Japan); China-Africa Forum; India-Africa Fund - co-operation synchronized with implementation of NEPAD

• AASROC contribution to a New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP) to be launched in April 2005 and creation of an Asian-African Business Summit

• IBSA continues to strengthen trilateral co-operation amongst India, Brazil and SA, with the challenge to implement outcomes emanating from the various sectoral working groups

• India: JMC and CEO’s Forum provide platforms for enhanced economic interaction

• World Expo 2005, Aichi, Japan as important showcase for SA

• Tourism as important source of income for SA


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Middle East

• Strategic importance for South Africa: provides approximately 80% of SA’s oil imports; market for SA’s industrial, commercial & agricultural products; promising source of tourists, investment and technical co-operation; important constituency for the Agenda of the South.

• SA is represented by 12 Missions in the region

• Concrete commitments for AU and NEPAD as well as formal co-operation between the Gulf Co-operation Council and SADC to be pursued

• SA application for observer status in Organisation of Islamic Conference

• Primary strategic significance as repository of and conduit for the world’s largest oil reserves as well as sources of natural gas

• SA remains seized with the resolution of the Israeli/Arab conflict, which impacts on international stability, and will continue to play a principled and active role to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict through high-level visits and initiatives (Spier II/2005)

• Restoration of peace and full sovereignty in Iraq with broader political/economic relations, especially after December 2005 elections

• High levels of economic interaction with Gulf States and important joint commissions with Saudi Arabia and Iran at ministerial level

• Planned ministerial visit in May 2005 to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen to focus on promotion of NEPAD and SA as investment destination


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AmericasNorth America• SA representation through four missions in the USA and two in Canada

• Significant for SA in terms of trade, FDI, tourism and transfer of technology; important for SA to develop specific strategies to harness concrete benefits and tap bilateral potential

• SACU-US trade negotiations to be concluded, encouraging US support for economic development and co-operation, and support for the implementation of NEPAD

• Challenge to mobilise the North American African Diaspora and SA expatriate communities in support of the African Agenda

• Challenge to ensure that bankable NEPAD projects are identified for US/Canadian support

Latin America/Caribbean• SA representation through ten missions

• Importance of developing common positions with countries of this region on global issues, the promotion of the development agenda, African continental engagement in promoting the ideals of the Continent and the African Diaspora

• Planned increase in focus on the Caribbean region, enhanced by the SA/AU/Caribbean Diaspora Conference (March 2005)

• Future engagement with the newly established 12-nation South American Community of Nations

• Strengthening relations with Southern Cone countries through high-level visits, joint commissions, IBSA, and the SACU/MERCOSUR Framework Preferential FTA leading to an eventual full FTA


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Europe• TDCA: positive trade outcomes due to the SA-EU TDCA; continued engagement to stop trade

distorting subsidies; planned review of all aspects of TDCA, including the Science/Technology Agreement, Wines/Spirits Agreement, and the European Programme for Reconstruction and Development (EPRD); annual Forum on Political Dialogue; full implementation of TDCA economic co-operation chapter

• Continued participation in negotiations for SACU-EFTA Agreement for conclusion in 2005/06• EU co-operation with SA on study of application of EU’s Structural and Cohesion Funds• EU agreement towards co-operation between Pan-African and European Parliaments• Continued bilateral/multilateral engagement with EU on support for Africa peace/stability efforts• New co-ordinated approach to enlarged EU and its market potential for SA• Consolidation/strengthening of existing relations/commitments with Mediterranean European

countries bilaterally and on key international policy issues• Continued SA/Russian co-operation through ITEC• Consolidate recent impetus from high-level visit of Turkish leader to SA• Strengthen economic relations with Central Europe through TDCA (8 of 11 countries in expanded

EU), especially in service industries and applicable technologies• Work with the UK (chair of G8 and EU) as a champion of NEPAD and towards full implementation of

the G8 Africa Action Plan• Further strengthen relations with Nordic countries through SA-Nordic Summit and other mechanisms


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Institutional Strengthening

Employment Equity: Race & Gender Profile (31 March 2005)

African Asian Coloured WhiteComponent

Female Male

AfricanTotal

Female Male

AsianTotal

Female Male

ColouredTotal

Female Male

WhiteTotal

GrandTotal

Missions 421 403 824 26 29 55 29 28 57 243 134 377 1313

Head Office 110 171 281 18 22 40 15 21 36 85 120 205 562

Overall 532 574 1105 44 51 95 44 49 93 328 254 582 1875

Total % 28% 31% 59% 2% 3% 5% 2% 3% 5% 17% 14% 31% 100%

Total number of people with Disabilities = 22 ( 1% )


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Institutional Strengthening

Employment Equity: Gender Profile (31 March 2005)

Component Female Male Grand Total

Missions 228 334 562

Head Office 719 594 1313

Total Count 947 928 1875

Total % 51% 49% 100%


Documents

1 Department of Foreign Affairs Strategic Plan 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08 __________________________________ Presentation to the Parliamentary Portfolio