President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on newly appointed ambassadors and high commissioners to deepen diplomatic, economic and people-to-people relations between South Africa and their respective countries.
The President received letters of credence from the newly appointed Heads of Mission from 20 countries across the world during a credentials ceremony at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria, on Wednesday.
The ceremony saw the Heads of Mission-designate present their credentials to the President and pledged their commitment to work with South Africa to further advance and strengthen diplomatic relations.
Letters of Credence are official diplomatic documents presented to the President by Heads of Mission-designate who have been nominated by their respective governments to serve as ambassadors to South Africa.
Addressing Heads of Mission, the President said South Africa stands ready to partner with nations for trade, development and peace.
“In South Africa you will find a ready, willing, able and capable partner for trade, development, progress and peace,” he said.
President Ramaphosa said the envoys begin their tenure at a time when South Africa’s economy is recovering, supported by ongoing structural reforms.
“The structural reform agenda we embarked on in 2018 to overcome longstanding constraints to investment and growth continues to gain momentum,” he said.
He noted improvements in key economic indicators, including stabilised public debt and increased job creation, as well as progress made through investment drives.
“Last week, we held our sixth South Africa Investment Conference, where we secured R889 billion in cumulative investment commitments. This has encouraged us to set a goal of securing R3 trillion in new investment commitments over the next three years,” he said.
The President said government is also investing heavily in infrastructure to support growth.
“We will be investing approximately R1 trillion over the next three years to build roads, dams, schools, hospitals and other public infrastructure,” he said.
President Ramaphosa emphasised the importance of strengthening cooperation among nations, particularly in addressing global challenges.
“As we pursue our apex priority of inclusive growth and job creation, we are firmly committed to deepen our cooperation and collaboration with all countries. We hope that your time in South Africa will contribute to building meaningful, sustainable economic partnerships,” he said.
Expectations for Diplomats
He also outlined expectations for the diplomats, stressing the importance of mutual respect, non-interference and constructive engagement.
“As President, whenever I appoint Ambassadors and High Commissioners to your country, I expect them to promote good relations between our two nations. I expect them to respect your country’s sovereignty and promote trade and investment opportunities in our respective countries.
“I also expect them to promote South Africa’s culture and value system and strengthen people-to-people relations,” he said.
The President underscored the importance of diplomacy conducted with tact and discretion.
“I always make it a point to inform them that they should never criticise their host countries publicly and in a confrontational manner but should always seek to raise issues privately and constructively.
“They should always seek to build relationships with various stakeholders in the host country. They should always choose to preserve dignity and partnership between our respective countries,” the President said.
He said this approach aligns with principles of international diplomacy and fosters stronger bilateral relations.
“It is this approach that I believe builds strong relationships between nations and helps to advance the interests of our respective countries based on mutual respect.
“South Africa’s interest is to advance a better, more peaceful, more equal world, anchored in human rights and with respect for the dignity of all,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
