South Africa to host an Extra-Ordinary Summit of the SADC Organ. The media are invited to apply for accreditation to an Extra-Ordinary Summit of the SADC Organ Troika to be held in Pretoria on Thursday, 21 July 2022.

Meeting between Minister Naledi Pandor and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in the European Union (EU), Mr Josep Borrell Fontelles, in Bali, Republic of Indonesia, 7 July 2022.

Photo: Katlholo Maifadi / DIRCO

Meeting between Minister Naledi Pandor and the Foreign Affairs Minister of Indonesia, Ms Retno Marsudi, in Bali, Republic of Indonesia, 7 July 2022.

Photo: Katlholo Maifadi / DIRCO

Minister Pandor attends G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Bali, Indonesia. The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, arrives in Bali, Indonesia, today to attend a two-day G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting (G20 FMM), scheduled to take place from 07-08 July 2022.

Meeting between Minister Naledi Pandor and the CEO of National Research Foundation (NRF), Professor Low Teck Seng, in Singapore, Republic of Singapore, 5 July 2022.

Photo: Katlholo Maifadi / DIRCO

Minister Pandor undertakes Official Visit to Singapore. The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, is undertaking an Official Visit to Singapore, scheduled for 05-06 July 2022, at the invitation of the Honourable Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore, to discuss bilateral and multilateral cooperation issues of mutual interest.

Spain and South Africa Joint Communiqué on the 14th Round of Bilateral Consultations held in Madrid, Spain, 1 July 2022. On 1 July 2022 Spain hosted the 14th round of Bilateral Consultations in Madrid, welcoming the return to the in-person format that was temporarily abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

South Africa calls for investigation into distressing number of deaths of African migrants attempting to cross the Morocco – Spain border. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) expresses deep regret and concern at the death of at least 23 and the injury of several migrants who attempted to cross the border from Morocco into the Spanish city of Melilla.

Keynote Address by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Alvin Botes, at the South Africa Trade and Investment Seminar in Porto 27 June 2022. I wish to thank you, Mr Mayor and the people of Porto for the warm reception and hospitality extended to the South African delegation since our arrival.

Joint Communiqué of the Seventh Session of Bilateral Consultations between Portugal and South Africa. Portugal and South Africa concluded a Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Consultations on 25 November 2002, which provides for regular meetings chaired by the Ministers or Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the two countries in order to discuss Bilateral Relations, Regional and Multilateral Issues.

Deputy Minister Botes arrives in Portugal for Bilateral Consultations. The Deputy Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Alvin Botes, has today, 23 June 2022, arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, where he is scheduled to co-chair the Seventh Bilateral Consultations between South Africa and Portugal with his Portuguese counterpart, Mr Francisco André, on 24 June 2022.

Minister Naledi Pandor leads a South African delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2022). The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, will lead a South African delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM 2022) scheduled to be held on Friday, 24 June 2022 and Saturday, 25 June 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Statement on the Virtual Cabinet Meeting of 22 June 2022. Issues in the Emvironmente - Climate Change - Cabinet welcomed the visit to South Africa by Mr Alok Sharma, President of the 26th United Nations (UN) Climate Change Summit, from 19 to 21 June 2022, and his assessment that South Africa has shown a clear commitment to a clean energy transition.

Statement by Mr Alvin Botes Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa to the First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, 21 June 2022, Vienna, Austria. Thank you, Mr President, for the opportunity to address this august gathering. It has indeed been a long journey and now we are finally here, working on the implementation of this vital Treaty.

Deputy Minister Botes attending meeting in Vienna on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The Deputy Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Alvin Botes, has arrived in Vienna, Austria, where he is leading a South African delegation participating in the First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) from 21 to 23 June 2022.

Minister Pandor concludes successful visit to the Nordic region. The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, has today, 17 June 2022, concluded her successful visit to the Nordic region.

Minister Pandor arrives in Sweden after successful visit to Finland. The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, has today, 15 June 2022, arrived in Stockholm, Sweden, after the successful conclusion of her Working Visit to Finland.

Minister Pandor arrives in Finland for the Nordic – Africa Foreign Ministers' Meeting. The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, has arrived in Helsinki, Finland, where she will participate in the 19th Nordic-Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

Statement on the Cabinet Meeting of 8 June 2022. Issues in the Environment - Economy - Cabinet has welcomed the recent positive developments in the country’s interventions aimed at stimulating economic growth.

South Africa and Uruguay to hold inaugural Political Consultations. The Deputy Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Alvin Botes, and his counterpart, Ms Carolina Ache Batlle, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, will co-chair the inaugural South African – Uruguay Political Consultations on Tuesday, 31 May 2022, in Pretoria.

Deputy Minister Mashego-Dlamini to embark on a community engagement programme in Mpumalanga

The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Candith Mashego-Dlamini, will embark on a community engagement programme in Mpumalanga on Friday, 27 May 2022.

Press Briefing by Minister Naledi Pandor and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Mr Sameh Shouktry, during the Ninth South Africa – Egypt Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC), Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt, 25 May 2022.

Photo: Katlholo Maifadi / DIRCO

Signing of the Agreement on Space Cooperation by Minister Naledi Pandor and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Mr Sameh Shouktry, during the Ninth South Africa – Egypt Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC), Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt, 25 May 2022.

Photo: Katlholo Maifadi / DIRCO

Opening Remarks by Minister Naledi Pandor and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Mr Sameh Shouktry, during the Ninth South Africa – Egypt Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC), Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt, 25 May 2022.

Photo: Katlholo Maifadi / DIRCO

Political Consultations between Minister Naledi Pandor and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Mr Sameh Shouktry, during the Ninth South Africa – Egypt Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC), Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt, 25 May 2022.

Photo: Katlholo Maifadi / DIRCO

Minister Pandor to undertake a Working Visit to Egypt to co-chair the Ninth South Africa – Egypt Joint Commission for Cooperation on 25 May 2022. The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, will undertake a Working Visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt, on 25 May 2022 to co-chair the Ninth Egypt – South Africa Joint Commission for Cooperation, with her counterpart, HE Sameh Shouktry, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Address by Deputy Minister Alvin Botes, at the Parliament of South Africa: National Assembly, on the 20th anniversary of the African Union in 20 Years, (hybrid), 25 May 2022. South Africa continues to execute our foreign policy through the canon of Pan-Africanism, South-South solidarity, South-North cooperation and Multilateralism (global Governance).

Statement on the virtual Cabinet Meeting of 25 May 2022. Issues in the environment - Recovery and rebuilding efforts after the floods - Cabinet expressed its praise and appreciation to all people and organisations involved in recovery and rebuilding efforts following the recent devastating floods in some parts of the country, especially in KwaZulu-Natal.

Deputy Minister Alvin Botes attends a dinner with the Premier of the Northern Cape, Mr Zamani Saul, ahead of the Investment Seminar aimed at showcasing investment opportunities in the Northern Cape Province, Kimberley, South Africa, 23 May 2022.

Photo: Jacoline Schoonees / DIRCO

Investment Seminar to be held in Kimberley

The Deputy Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Mr. Alvin Botes, in collaboration with the Northern Cape Provincial Government, through the office of the Premier, will host a seminar in Kimberley aimed at showcasing investment opportunities in the Northern Cape Province.

Joint Statement on the 10th Session of the Deputy Ministerial Working Group between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of South Africa held in Tehran on 23 May 2022 (corresponding to 2 Khor 1401). At the invitation of His Excellency, Dr Ali Bagheri Kani, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Her Excellency, Candith Mashego-Dlamini, the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa, paid a visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran from 21 to 24 May 2022 to co-chair the 10th Session of the Deputy Ministerial Working Group, as well as to conduct bilateral discussions.

Deputy Minister Mashego-Dlamini to co-chair the 10th Session of the South Africa – Iran Deputy Ministerial Working Group. The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Candith Mashego-Dlamini, has arrived in Tehran, Iran, to co-chair the 10th Session of the Deputy Ministerial Working Group (DMWG) on 23 May 2022 with her Iranian counterpart, Dr Ali Bagheri.

DIRCO rejects reports of ISIS fighters returning to South Africa. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has, in recent days, noted false and irresponsible newspaper reports indicating that hundreds of former ISIS fighters have been repatriated to South Africa through a “secret operation” carried out since 2019.

Minister Naledi Pandor’s Remarks to Learners at Zinikeleni Secondary School, 20 May 2022. It is an honour to be with you today, ahead of our President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidential Imbizo, which will take place later this morning not far from your school.

Minister Pandor to officially hand over computers to Zinikeleni Secondary School in Carolina, Mpumalanga Province. The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, will officially hand over laptops to Zinikeleni Secondary School in Carolina, Mpumalanga Province.

Remarks by Dr Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations at the Seminar to mark the 20th anniversary of the African Union, hosted by the University of Cape Town, on 18 May 2022. It is a great pleasure for me to deliver these remarks as part of our celebration of the birth of Africa’s premier organisation, the African Union (AU), the successor of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).

Africa in 2063 – Removing obstacles to prosperity, Dr GNM Pandor, MP, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, University of Cape Town, 17 May 2022. Allow me to take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude for the warm welcome and for allowing us to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the African Union at the University of Cape Town.

Deputy Minister Mashego-Dlamini arrives in Geneva to Co-Chair the Fourth Capital Level Meeting of the Global Network of National Focal Points of Women, Peace and Security. The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Candith Mashego-Dlamini, has today arrived in Geneva, Switzerland, to co-chair the Global Network of Focal Points on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) taking place in Geneva from 18-19 May 2022.

Economic Assistance Agreement with the Republic of Cuba. The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, has responded to a Parliamentary Question from the Democratic Alliance (DA) relating to the Economic Assistance Package (EAP), of R350 Million to Cuba, signed on 03 February 2012 in Pretoria.

Minister Pandor to speak at two events in Cape Town marking the AU’s 20th anniversary. The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, will speak at two events in Cape Town this week marking the 20th anniversary of the launch of the African Union (AU).

Minister Naledi Pandor speaks at the book launch, "Beyond Fear: Reflections of a Freedom Fighter", by late former Deputy Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa, 16 May 2022.

Photos: Yandisa Monakali / DIRCO