Back from his trip to Japan, where he attended the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development Summit (TICAD9), President Cyril Ramaphosa underscored the importance of the forum to strengthen trade and investment, amid global trade disruptions.

Speaking at the TICAD9 last week, Ramaphosa said South Africa was seeking to deepen intra-African trade while becoming a “continental industrial platform from which Japanese and other global firms can export into Africa”.

In his weekly letter to the nation on Monday, he reiterated the importance of Japan as a trading partner of South Africa’s, particularly in areas such as construction, manufacturing, technology and agriculture.

He noted discussions at the conference on potential collaboration in renewable energy, automotive components and hydrogen production. 

“One of the promising discussions was around the continental expansion plans by the Japanese automaker Isuzu Motors. Isuzu’s South African plant has trialled the manufacture of commercial trucks and truck bodies locally, and is engaging with Isuzu Motors Japan on its plans to become a manufacturing hub for the African market. At a time of global trade disruptions and mounting tariff pressures, participating in forums like TICAD is key to our economic diplomacy efforts,” Ramaphosa enthused.

Economic diplomacy, he said, was significant to South Africa’s foreign policy, particularly presently, as the world faced economic headwinds and global power shifts. 

Ramaphosa pointed to South Africa’s National Interest Framework Policy Document, which advocated forging strategic alliances for economic and trading partnerships.

Tensions between the US and South Africa saw the latter country fail to secure a trade deal with the former, resulting in tariffs of 30% levied by the US on a slew of South African goods and produce.

“At a time when our country faces potentially high tariffs imposed by the US administration, we are continuing to put in place measures that reduce our dependence on historical markets. South Africa continues to advocate for an international trade regime that is fair, equitable and rules-based. We are seeking a trade regime that does not render developing economies vulnerable to unilateral measures or protectionist pressures,” Ramaphosa stressed.

He said South Africa would strategically engage with partners in the Global North and South, while it continued with its multilateralism-based foreign policy.

He asserted that South Africa’s foreign policy would not be dictated by pressure but by principle.

PEACE

This approach, he said, was why South Africa continued to support Palestine, despite criticism from other countries.

South Africa had taken Israel to the International Court of Justice to declare genocide regarding its assault on Gaza following Hamas-led attacks on Israel in 2023.

“We continue to stand in principled solidarity with the peoples of Western Sahara in their struggle for self-determination, even when this has found us at odds with other countries, including on the African continent,” Ramaphosa added.

A staunch advocate of negotiation, Ramaphosa encouraged dialogue in the mediation and resolution of conflict.

He laid out South Africa’s peacekeeping efforts, noting the role it played in Lesotho, Burundi and the wider Greak Lakes region, as well as efforts in the South Sudan conflict and the conflict in Ethiopia.

“South Africa has also sought to play a constructive role in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a role that has been welcomed by both sides. In 2023 we joined a group of African leaders as part of a Ukraine-Russia peace mission. We continue to engage with Russia and Ukraine in pursuit of peace, and this past weekend I had calls with several European leaders on the latest peace effort,” Ramaphosa said.

He stressed independence in the formulation of South Africa’s national interest and mutual respect when engaging with the international community.

“Respect for multilateralism and the pursuit of peace will continue to define our outlook, as will the advancement of social justice and human rights,” he said.