Steenhuisen calls for urgent foreign policy lekgotla to define national interest

DA leader John Steenhuisen says that, despite the Government of National Unity (GNU) being fairly stable, a lekgotla is needed on foreign policy.

He says it is necessary for parties to reach a consensus on what is defined as the national interest.

As the government’s responses to geopolitical matters continue to put GNU partners at odds with the African National Congress (ANC), Steenhuisen says discussions must be had on how to express true non-alignment. He notes that just as last year’s economic lekgotla was able to iron out issues on policy and economic direction, a lekgotla on foreign policy needs to happen urgently.

He says he has already received a draft document on the concept of the national interest in efforts to reach consensus on how South Africa should treat the international community.

"I have a particular view that South Africa has made a number of blunders in the past ten years, that have imperilled a lot of our relationships with countries around the world. And if we are going to say we are going to be non-aligned, then we must be genuinely non-aligned."

Steenhuisen says with geopolitical manoeuvrings involving the United States, Russia, China, and their allies impacting South Africa, a consensus needs to be reached soon on what non-alignment entails.

"We need to very quickly find a place within this shifting geopolitical space that's going to give us the credibility to be able to navigate our trade, our alignments and our relationships going forward."

Steenhuisen says the government can no longer determine its foreign policy based on the ANC’s past loyalties.