PRETORIA - "South Africa's commitment to human rights is central to its foreign policy, which promotes solidarity and respect for other peoples," President Cyril Ramaphosa said after the handing over of credentials to Heads of Mission at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria on 27 March 2025.
"Our commitment to human rights defines our international foreign policy. We support solidarity in the area of human rights and respect for other nations, and that is how we have chosen to define our foreign policy," He said.
South Africa's foreign policy aims to promote the prosperity of all nations, to engage multilaterally with them and to promote the values that are important to South Africans, Ramaphosa said. He said some nations drew on the processes of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its constitutional principles to influence their practices and actions.
"We have human rights advocacy as a soft power in South Africa, which we spread around the world. We do so with humility, without arrogance and without disrespect for others. This is what Ubuntu is about, this is what defines us, and we are very proud to continue to uphold these values and constitutional principles," the President continued his explanation.
At the ceremony, Ramaphosa received credentials from the leaders of 14 countries, namely Gabon, Congo, Russia, Bangladesh, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, Turkey, Japan, Mongolia, Portugal, Panama, Nepal and Senegal.
In presenting their credentials, the Heads of Mission recalled their countries' long and historic relations with South Africa and pledged to strengthen them at all levels. Many of them thanked South Africa for its principled stand against human rights violations around the world and for its interventions in finding solutions to current conflicts. Many looked forward to experiencing the art, culture, traditions and hospitality that South Africa and the region have to offer and pledged to strengthen the people-to-people and personal contacts that are the hallmark of diplomacy. As we realise the richness of the African continent and its potential, the perception of Africa's leadership role in the changing global paradigm is gaining momentum.
The Diplomatic Society, which has been committed to a constructive and balanced narrative of international relations and cooperation for nearly three decades, and its partners and collaborators welcome new Heads of Mission and invite them to engage and interact with its many platforms and stakeholders.
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