African leaders urged to support SMMEs

25 May 2021

South African Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, has called on leaders on the continent to create an environment that will allow innovative Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) and entrepreneurs to flourish and access regional, as well as global opportunities.

“This will contribute to local economic development, with local innovation often creating solutions that are relevant for our local circumstances and challenges. Often, such solutions can resonate globally too,” Ndabeni-Abrahams said.

Connecting Continents: Africa Day 

by Dr Srimal Fernando, Inter Regional Advisor

25 May 2021

Africa Day holds a special place in the hearts of many Africans and Asians. The historical day formerly known as African Liberation Day held on 25 May every year since 1963 is celebrated in Africa and around the world. Today the African continent, made up of 55 contiguous nation states, accounts for almost one fifth of the world's population and has made significant strides, and it is all changing and changing fast.

Even before the proclamation of the formation of the African Union (AU), the Pan -African nationalist leaders from various member states of the African continent stressed upon the historical significance and their hopes that the launching of African Liberation Day would provide the much-needed thrust for accelerating cooperation among member nations, eventually paving the way for promotion of peace and stability on the continent.

The Africa we strive for is possible in unity and solidarity

By Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, Mr. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu

25 May 2021

I would like congratulate all our African friends on May 25th Africa Day wholeheartedly.

We remember with appreciation the African countries coming together under the roof of the African Union (AU) on May 25th, 1963, predicating on independence and freedom, and displaying a common consciousness based on solidarity and unity. The success story reached in the following decades in this spirit and understanding gives us hope for the bright future of the Continent.

Without a colonial past and having attained its full independence with its struggle against the occupation forces during the War of Independence, Turkey is one of the countries that best grasps the meaning of this day. We are happy to share today this common joy, conscious of the importance of remembering the struggle for independence by the peoples of Africa, for freedom, equality and justice, and evoking the founding goals of the AU.

Argentine Right to identity: Help us to find you!

by María Florencia Segura, Chargé d´Affairs a.i, Embassy of Argentina

24 May 2021

Last year on March 24th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina, together with the human rights movement “Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo” and the National Commission for the Right to Identity (CONADI), launched an International Campaign in order to search for Argentine granddaughters or grandsons whose parents were kidnapped and disappeared during the dictatorship that occurred in Argentina between 1973 and 1983. During that period, the military implemented a systematic plan for the abduction of babies (girls and boys) who were separated from their disappeared parents. It is highlighted that their identities were falsified or they were given up for adoption and all traces of their biological families were removed.

31st Anniversary of the Yemen Unification Day

Ambassador Ahmed Hassan, Chargé D’ Affairs of the Republic of Yemen in Pretoria

22 May 2021

Statement of Chargé D’ Affairs of the Republic of Yemen in Pretoria, Ambassador Ahmed Hassan on the occasion of the 31st Anniversary of the Yemen Unification Day of 22 May 1990 - Yemen's National Day

Your Excellencies, Esteemed friends in South African Government and institutions, and honourable members of the Diplomatic Corps.
First of all, please accept my sincerest warm greetings to you all at the beginning of the winter season. I trust that you and your loved ones are in good health and spirit amid the dreadful Covid-19 pandemic. For this reason, I extend my statement to you this way.

On the occasion of the 31st anniversary of Yemeni unity on May 22, 1990, the country's national day, the embassy extends its warmest congratulations and blessings to the political leadership in our country, represented by His Excellency President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, President of the Republic, and the Yemeni people and their heroic army, who lay down epic acts of heroism and steadfastness in their noble battles against the Houthi coup group backed by a well-known regional power.

Celebration of Afro-Venezuelan Day

Mairin Moreno Mérida, Ambassador of Venezuela to South Africa (l) with Lupita Montes de Oca, Founder of Miss Latina South Africa (r)

20 May 2021

With a gastronomic exchange and in order to exalt our culinary roots, the Embassy of Venezuela in South Africa celebrated the day of Afro-Venezuelanity. From Venezuela, we wanted to share the heritage of our Mother Africa and the closeness and similarity of our meals, having as the main ingredient, corn.

Accompanying us in the preparation of typical Venezuelan dishes were: Lupita Montes de Oca, Founding Organizer of Miss Latina South Africa, Busi Roberts Founder and Editor of The Apple of His Eyes Magazine, Chef Suzanne Croizer Director of the Steyns Cooking School in Pretoria, Benjamin Lawrence II Cllr of Eersterust Watloo and Lungile Masemola Miss Latina South Africa 2018.

International Charlotte Maxeke honorary initiative launched

Minister Naledi Pandor delivering the Budget Vote speech for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Photo: Jacoline Schoonees/Dirco)

20 May 2021

Government will launch the Charlotte Maxeke African Women’s Economic Justice and Rights Initiative in honour of the remarkable role the late social and political activist and icon played in promoting South Africa abroad.

According to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), the initiative’s objective is to mobilise the global community behind the Gender Equality Forum’s Global Acceleration Plan, particularly the Action Coalition on Economic Justice and Rights.

Addressing media ahead of her department’s budget vote in Parliament, Minister Naledi Pandor, said this year’s theme is ‘Building back better to advance the legacy of Charlotte Maxeke’.

South Africa to close 10 diplomatic missions abroad

20 May 2021

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) says it has taken the hard but necessary decision to shut down 10 diplomatic missions abroad.

According to the department, this was in response to the country’s fiscal constraints, exacerbated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Addressing the media ahead of her department’s budget vote in Parliament, Minister Naledi Pandor said Cabinet made the resolution after a series of consultations that culminated in a decision.

According to the Minister, the missions, which include embassies, high commissions and consulates, are being closed systematically during the 2021/22 financial year.

Source Code Software(Photo: pixabay.com)

19 May 2021

The devastation brought about by COVID-19 and the manner in which South Africa responded to the pandemic has shown how important it is to invest in science to safeguard the nation’s future.

This is according to Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, who tabled the Science and Innovation budget Vote on Tuesday.

“One of the lessons is that investing in science is vital for South Africa's future and its development.

Africa should mobilise external financing for sustainable growth

Paris Summit on the financing of African economiesPresident Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa arrives at the Élysée Palace and is received by President Emmanuel Macron of France (Photo: Siyabulela Duda/GCIS)

19 May 2021

To boost the prospects for a strong and sustainable recovery from the impact of COVID-19, African governments need to mobilise significant additional external financing, with the assistance of the international community, says President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The President made the remarks during his address at the Paris Summit on the financing of African economies on Tuesday, convened by French President Emmanuel Macron.

President Ramaphosa last night successfully concluded the visit where he was joined by African Heads of State and government. At the summit, they were joined by leaders of financing institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and representatives of G7 and G20 countries.

State Security Agency has become a source of embarrassment — it’s time for our spies to come in from the cold

By Dr Nel Marais, Managing Director, Thabiti

19 May 2021

Recent years have seen a steady deepening of the relationship between politics and intelligence — one that has encroached upon the latter’s essential independence. As a result, South Africa’s official intelligence capacity can no longer be regarded as a national asset: rather, it seems to be the source of never-ending embarrassment, corruption and political shenanigans. It can — and must — be fixed.

In December 2018, the High-Level Review Panel into the State Security Agency (SSA) appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa published its highly critical findings, saying that the growing contagion of the civilian intelligence community by the factionalism in the African National Congress (ANC) had progressively worsened from 2009.