The unprecedented expulsion of ambassador to the US Ebrahim Rasool, after he publicly criticised President Donald Trump, came as a shocking and “regrettable” surprise to Pretoria, Africa and the G20 community.
That this marked a historic low point in the relationship between Washington and Pretoria is indisputable, but — in my humble opinion — it also presents a great opportunity to reset, recalibrate and rebuild this strategically important relationship.
Trump has moved quickly — within the first eight weeks of his administration — to name Leo Brent Bozell III as his nominee for US ambassador to South Africa. The choice of a well-known Republican insider and conservative media critic is indicative of the seriousness with which Trump takes the relationship with South Africa.
President Cyril Ramaphosa and international relations and cooperation minister Ronald Lamola have doubled down on their commitment to ensuring sound and positive diplomatic relations with Washington. They’re right, that’s the best way forward.
Ramaphosa was sanguine in referring to Rasool’s expulsion as a “hiccup”, one his administration is determined to overcome. Lamola emphasised the need for both nations to iron out their differences through dialogue, and to capitalise on common interests.
These measured and well calculated responses by South Africa’s number one and the country’s chief diplomat should inform and guide all South African stakeholders to cease and desist from negative rhetoric, misinformation and disinformation — which runs the real and serious risk of causing immense harm to the economy and society at large.
Now, more than ever, must be the time to de-escalate tensions with Washington. It is time for an intentional and deliberate strategic pivot towards building and maintaining a mutually-beneficial, strategic partnership of trust and mutual respect between these two great nations.
South Africa has more to lose from a breakdown of the relationship with the US. That is why we must do all it takes to restore trust and confidence in the bilateral relationship. The nation must rally round Ramaphosa and Lamola as they marshal their best diplomatic resources and assets to rebuild this strategically and systematically important relationship.
In most advanced countries, foreign policy is viewed as an articulation of domestic policy and the national interest and, therefore, unites rather than divides nations. We need that.
South Africa needs to strive for unity of purpose round its foreign policy strategic objectives. Bickering about foreign policy weakens rather than strengthens a country as it opens up spaces for foreign players to divide and rule.
For most countries, maintaining cordial trade and investment relations with the US is a strategic priority. It must also be so for South Africa. Even enemies of the US are careful not to escalate tensions by provoking or upsetting the White House at any given moment
There is a need for a tangible sense of common purpose in positioning South Africa as a great and respectable country in the concert of nations. This requires effective and sound leadership — among all leaders in politics, business and civil society — that puts the national interest above all else.
Washington’s move has attracted the attention of not just the global diplomatic fraternity but also of global business leaders with investments in Africa’s largest and most industrialised economy.
Geopolitics are in a constant, if not chaotic, state of flux. Countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America are having to dig deep as they seek to position themselves in a fast changing and dynamic world. Countries have to learn fast and adapt to twitter diplomacy.
Social media platforms drive global narratives on geopolitics and geoeconomics in unprecedented and unpredictable ways. This requires countries to be agile, coherent and joined-up in their messaging.
To many US, European and Asian multinationals, South Africa is a strategic investment location of choice — and a trusted and dependable gateway to Africa’s lucrative markets, with the continent’s growing population of 1.4-billion and a GDP of about $3.4-trillion (R62.65-trillion).
The Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) — the largest free trade bloc in the world — has further elevated South Africa’s strategic importance.
The expulsion of Rasool marked a historic low in the diplomatic relationship between Pretoria and Washington. The US is the world’s largest economy, accounting for about 30% of global GDP, 65% of global stock markets and 40% of global aid, before the recent dismantling of USAID.
For most countries, maintaining cordial trade and investment relations with the US is a strategic priority. It must also be so for South Africa. Even enemies of the US are careful not to escalate tensions by provoking or upsetting the White House at any given moment.
This is because there are material consequences to having a good or bad relationship with the US, due to its dominant and powerful role and influence in global geopolitics and geoeconomics. There are three things Pretoria must urgently do to restore a sense of normalcy in this strategically important bilateral relationship:
- First, setting the correct tone is an indispensable prerequisite. Ramaphosa has done so by explicitly stating his commitment to fostering a positive and constructive relationship with Washington. It is now time for all members of the GNU — and all political parties, business leaders and civil society — to follow suit and rally behind the president’s message. Those who can’t must do the country a favour and keep quiet. Do no harm.
- Second, Pretoria needs to get it absolutely right this time round by doing a proper strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis of the new ambassador to be appointed to the US. There are many capable, competent and experienced men and women to choose from who will be acceptable to Washington and can drive a successful reset of the bilateral relationship. And make South Africa proud.
- Third, there is the saying “never put a good crisis to waste”, which in this context requires an open and frank conversation on foreign policy and economic diplomacy. This also requires South Africa to build and project its soft power and develop world class public diplomacy capabilities — to engage and effectively communicate with think tanks, universities, business, lobbyists and the global media.
In a complex and volatile world, we need a thorough analysis of what’s working and what’s not working with our foreign policy to inform the requisite strategic shifts in pursuit of the national interest.
• Dlamini is executive committee chair of the South African Institute of International Affairs at Wits University, advisory board chair of the Gordon Institute of Business Science at the University of Pretoria, and president of the American Chamber of Commerce in South Africa. He writes in his personal capacity.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.