France sent a strong signal of support for South Africa’s participation in bilateral and multilateral platforms this week when President Emmanuel Macron invited a South African delegation to the One Health Summit in Lyon.
Just weeks after France disinvited South Africa from attending the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, Haute-Savoie, France, due for June, France invited South Africa to attend the health summit this week. Health minister Aaron Motsoaledi and business leaders are participating.
Senior group executive of Aspen Pharmacare, Dr Stavros Nicolaou, told Business Times the summit struck the right note between France and South Africa after concerns that the diplomatic rift between South Africa and the US was behind France’s disinvitation to the G7.
“It [the One Health Summit] segues from last week with reports of the disinvitation from the G7. The first issue is that health is very much a priority agenda for France. It involved a number of heads of state, including African heads of state,” Nicolaou said.
The event focused on the intersection between health policy, vaccine equity, animal health and sustainability. It was also attended by Ghanaian President John Mahama.
Nicolaou said the event restored much-needed prominence to discussions on vaccine equity for Africa. “The first thing is, since Covid has quietened down, health deployment and health equity have kind of fallen off the radar. Macron had a particular focus on Africa because of that, and this raised the focus on the commitment the world made towards Africa since Covid, which hasn’t necessarily been done.”
The world is so globalised, and we need to continue beating the multilateralism drum. We have friends, and the business community of South Africa should not demonstrate favouritism for any country or region, but work for South Africa’s best interests
— Stavros Nicolaou, Aspen Pharmacare
The event combined health policy and health diplomacy themes with others such as biodiversity and climate sustainability, which are important for the continent, as it ranks low on most of these indices, he said.
“I participated in two panels. One was a technical panel, and the other was a main stage panel. On both, I spoke on vaccine equity and health sovereignty, which are both important for Africa. We need to accelerate regulatory integrations to allow for vaccine manufacturing on the continent, and things haven’t moved quickly enough on that front.”
The success of the One Health Summit showed that South Africa still occupies a critical position in the global community in the eyes of the global north and that the country is best placed to apply an objective approach to diplomacy in its own interests during these polarising times, Nicolaou said.
“I think that France has, through this short interaction, demonstrated that Macron and his team are very cordial towards South Africa. I had the opportunity to speak with the president and his advisers, and I think he has an affinity for South Africa,” he said.
“I think it’s important to continue engaging bilaterally and multilaterally. The world is so globalised, and we need to continue beating the multilateralism drum. We have friends, and the business community of South Africa should not demonstrate favouritism for any country or region, but work for South Africa’s best interests.”
At the summit, Macron said One Health was not just about protecting health but about recognising that the global community lives as one system, where the wellbeing of humans, animals, and the environment is inseparable.
“France is determined to move One Health from ambition to implementation, working with the World Health Organisation and our global partners to prevent the next crisis before it begins. Science must guide our action, and co-operation must be our strength.”
South Africa is only part of the G20. I think what we need to be grateful about is that we have a great lobby by President Ramaphosa to have friendships with other countries. Thanks to these friendships with France and Canada, we were invited to events like the G7
— Miyelani Mkhabela, Antswisa Management Group
Meanwhile, addressing the American Chamber of Commerce’s South African annual general meeting at the Gordon Institute for Business Science on Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the US had been a major source of foreign direct investment in South Africa for years.
“There are more than 600 American companies operating here. It is estimated that US companies employ more than 250,000 South Africans. These companies invest in South Africa because they achieve valuable returns.
“They invest because South Africa has significant resources. We have large reserves of critical minerals, abundant renewable energy sources and a young and capable workforce. This is underpinned by stable institutions, the rule of law, advanced infrastructure and deep capital markets.”
These companies have access to the South African market and see great potential for expansion into the vast African market, he said. South African companies operating in the US market create jobs for Americans and contribute to the US economy.
“Both sides see the clear gains to be made from investing in each other’s markets. We were encouraged by the presence of more than 600 US business leaders at the B20 Summit in Johannesburg in November last year.”
Miyelani Mkhabela, chief economist and capital markets strategist at Antswisa Management Group, said the broader positions of countries like France, Canada and the EU favour South Africa, meaning the country is indirectly represented in the meeting and its activities.
“South Africa is only part of the G20. I think what we need to be grateful about is that we have a great lobby by President Ramaphosa to have friendships with other countries. Thanks to these friendships with France and Canada, we were invited to events like the G7.”
After a fresh uproar over remarks he made about South Africa’s judiciary, the US embassy smoothed things over with the Union Buildings, and ambassador L Brent Bozell received his letters of credence this week.
Nicolaou said South Africa could look forward to more fruitful engagements with the French at the France-African Union Summit, due for Nairobi, Kenya, on May 11 and 12.
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