Minister Ronald Lamola: South Africa - European Union Ministerial Political Dialogue

Your Excellency, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, Mrs Kaja Kallas
Excellencies, Ambassador Kramer of the European Union and Ambassador Xasa, South Africa’s Ambassador to the EU
My Colleagues, Members of the South African Cabinet
Members of the EU and South African Delegation

Good morning,

It is my absolute honour and delight to welcome you, Excellency HRVP Kaja Kallas, and the rest of the EU Delegation to our beautiful country, South Africa.  

I particularly wish to extend my full gratitude to you, HRVP, for accepting the proposal for the 16th MPD to be held here in South Africa instead of Brussels. You can now enjoy some of our beautiful sunshine, and we don’t have to dress up for the cold weather in Brussels!

Our meeting today represents a significant milestone. We are meeting to prepare for the 8th South Africa—European Union Summit, noting that the 7th meeting was held seven years ago in 2018.  

The 16th MPD occurs at an opportune time, following the strong momentum in bilateral relations, including engagements between our Presidents, the most recent being the telephone call on 10 February between President Ramaphosa and His Excellency President Costa, as well as at meetings between President Ramaphosa and the Her Excellency President von der Leyen at UNGA in September 2024 and at the G20 Summit in November 2024.  On 15 January 2025, our Senior Officials, led by Director General Zane Dango and Deputy Secretary General Simon Mordue, held the 16th session of the Joint Cooperative Commission in Brussels.

During these bilateral engagements, we, as Strategic Partners, agreed on the need to strengthen our economic relations by, among others, resolving key challenges emanating in our trade sphere.  We have also agreed to develop a new investment package by the EU to South Africa to consolidate cooperation on Science and Technology Education and Skills Development, Macro-Economic Climate and Environment Peace and Security, Human Rights and Development Cooperation, and to consider collaboration in Health and Critical Minerals Value Chain.

Excellency, whilst we are pleased with the progress in advancing our multifaceted cooperation under the Strategic Partnership, we wish to highlight that, notwithstanding South Africa’s middle-income status, our country has a dual economy and continues to be affected by the structural challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality, which impact millions of South Africans, particularly women and the youth.  In this respect, the EU’s development cooperation initiatives have always offered a tangible benefit to the realisation of South Africa’s National Priorities.  We hope we can count on your continued support in the form of traditional development assistance for our domestic challenges, particularly as we are now faced with the urgent need to diversify our international development partners.

From a geo-political perspective, the 16th MPD meeting is taking place in a rapidly changing world characterised by interdependence, competition, and cooperation and conflict.  We are witnessing the intensification of competition over trade, technology and influence in global institutions.  President Ramaphosa articulated these developments in his recent State of the Nation Address, where he also outlined various measures to tackle our pressing economic challenges, such as the country's high unemployment rate, the need to build an integrated education system and to make use of advanced technology to improve service delivery to our people. We are proud to count on the EU as a historic, reliable, and trusted partner in all these areas.

Whilst this world presents challenges, it also offers opportunities.  Perhaps, now more than ever, the issue of the reform of global governance institutions, such as the UN Security Council, is a glaring matter that needs urgent attention so that we can resolve conflicts when they occur.  As we commemorate 80 years of the anniversary of the United Nations, let us be intentional and resolute in our determination to strengthen this organisation and its agencies.

Even more urgent and requiring all efforts from those of us who share values is the protection of multilateral institutions that are increasingly under attack to weaken them.  

In these turbulent times, it would serve us well to recall the historic foundation and shared values which underpin our Partnership. The principles and values of democracy, respect for the rule of law and human rights, human dignity, equality, sovereignty and respect, which South Africa and the European Union value, must continue to guide and inform our engagements and decisions.

Your Excellency

This meeting today presents an opportunity for us also to hold discussions on regional issues that are of great concern to us.  On our Continent, we remain seized to silence the Guns in Mozambique, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan and South Sudan. In the Middle East, we are closely following new developments that are a cause of concern, notwithstanding our support for the long overdue ceasefire, which is also under threat.

I look forward to a constructive engagement that will chart the way for our bilateral relations.

I thank you.

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