Embassy, Topnews, South Africa in Germany,...
02. December 2020
On 30 November 2020, H.E. Ambassador Phumelele S. Sizani took part in a digital conference on "South Africa as a strategic partner for Germany? Perspectives of the German-South African Cooperation" organised by Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation. Germany and South Africa cooperate on a bilateral and increasingly on a multilateral level. As currently holding the presidency of the EU and AU, the last few months both governments prepared the summit of the two regional organizations originally scheduled for autumn 2020. As non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council they have collaborated to assess and resolve conflict-ridden situations. Will South Africa continue to be an important partner for Germany in solving future challenges at the global and continental level and in strengthening multilateralism?
The discussion aimed to provide insights into the goals and experiences of political cooperation at the global and continental level from a strategic perspective. In addition, the reorientation of development cooperation envisaged by the BMZ as well as the potentials and limits in other fields of cooperation between the two countries were analysed and discussed from this specific perspective. The following aspects were discussed:
What role do Germany and South Africa, as important actors of the EU and the AU respectively, play in providing political solutions for future challenges at continental and international level?
Which interests of the two countries or which interests of other - external and internal - actors need to be taken into account for a stronger political-strategic cooperation?
Which tangible approaches/promising fields of cooperation and which actors could make a strategic partnership between the two countries successful even outside of governments (private sector, science, culture, civil society)?