South African foreign policy is guided by the Constitution of the Republic. The Preamble highlights 4 key objectives of our nation, and the fourth speaks to foreign policy: “(to) Build a united and democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations.” This is consistent with the ANC’s historic and current international policy, which is defined by the injunction of the Freedom Charter, that “There shall be peace and friendship”. 

Over the last 30 years of freedom, our international relations have therefore been informed by the following priorities, albeit in a very complex global situation:

a) Promote the African Agenda and renaissance;
b) Work with countries of the South to address shared challenges of underdevelopment
c) Promote peace, human rights, social justice, equality and solidarity;
d) Work with countries of the North to develop effective partnerships for a better world; and
e) Strengthen the multilateral system, its transformation, to reflect the diversity of our nations, and ensure its centrality in global governance.

Over the last 30 years, South Africa has been elected three times to serve as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC), the latest term from 2018-2020.  Our participation in the UNSC (and on the African Union Peace and Security Council) is defined by the principle of peaceful and sustainable resolutions to conflicts, in the context of a non-alignment, to talk to and work with all nations towards the advancement of our foreign policy objectives. To illustrate this commitment, South Africa is the 15th largest contributor of troops to UN 240 peacekeeping operations globally and the 6th largest contributor of women in those missions. 

On the Palestinian question, our position is unequivocal, as articulated by South Africa’s founding father, Nelson Mandela, that our freedom will be incomplete without that of the Palestinians.  

The ANC have since the start of the recent conflict which is unfolding as a genocide, called for an immediate ceasefire and for genuine negotiations to find a just solution to the plight of the Palestinian people.

The Genocide case that South Africa initiated at the International Court of Justice speaks to this commitment to a just and peaceful resolution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine. 

Our government supported the recent UNSC Resolution 2728 (2024) on an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, “that should lead to a lasting sustainable ceasefire."

We will continue to promote an inclusive peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, that take in consideration the security and sovereignty of both peoples. South Africa was part of an African mission to both countries in 2023 to talk about ending the conflict, and continues to be part of global initiatives to end the conflict