International relations & co-operation minister Naledi Pandor says SA would like to remain eligible for a trade pact that allows it preferential access to the US markets but the country will not be coerced into changing its non-aligned foreign policy stance on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in order to remain eligible for the deal.
If SA submitted to such coercion, it would open the space for it to be compelled to follow policy decisions that are not its own and “we will regret that when even greater demands are made”, Pandor said on Wednesday.
Her remarks follow a push by senior US legislators to punish SA for its perceived closeness to Russia by moving the hosting of a major trade conference away from SA.
A letter from a bipartisan group of US legislators was sent last week to secretary of state Antony Blinken, national security adviser Jacob Sullivan and the office of US trade representative Katherine Tai asking for the upcoming Agoa Forum to be hosted in another country. The forum is intended to map the way forward for trade relations between the US and SA.
“We would like SA to continue to participate in the Agoa [African Growth and Opportunity Act] Forum. It is not the first time that members of the House of Representatives ... have spoken out against SA,” Pandor told MPs in the National Council of Provinces.
“The key issue is the government must stand firm on its non-aligned position that we do not take sides in such matters ... we do not act in accordance with unilateral sanctions imposed by one member state of the UN family.”
Business Day previously reported that the country has been invited to make submissions to Tai next month to ensure that SA remains one of 35 Sub-Saharan countries eligible for trade benefits under Agoa.
SA has been under pressure from civil society organisations and its Western trade partners to condemn its Brics ally Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022. Instead, SA has stated it is neutral in the conflict and has called for a peaceful resolution and a cessation of hostilities between the two East European nations.
But the country’s neutral stance has been questioned by the US, whose SA ambassador, Reuben Brigety, in May went as far as to accuse SA of providing weapons to Russia in December 2022 when a Russian vessel docked in Simon’s Town. SA has denied the accusation and launched an inquiry into the matter.
Brigety’s accusations have strained relations between Washington and Pretoria and raised fears that the R400bn trade partnership between the two countries could be threatened.
Fears that SA would be compelled to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has a warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court (ICC) hanging over his head, have also raised suspicion that SA is considering moving to China the annual summit of Brics members: Brazil, Russia, India, China and SA.
Pandor is, however, adamant that the Brics gathering will be hosted in Johannesburg in August, further raising uncertainty about Pretoria’s actions should the Russian leader arrive on SA’s shores.
“As far as I am aware, the summit is planned for Johannesburg this year ... I do not know whether Putin has responded to the invitation that was sent to him by President Ramaphosa ... I am not the principal party that issues invitations,” Pandor said.
In May, SA published a gazette which granted immunity to attendees of the recent Brics foreign ministers meeting and for the upcoming summit in August, raising suspicion that the country is readying itself to roll out the red carpet for Putin, which it has denied.
Pandor stressed that the gazette is not intended to override any international warrant of arrest and the publishing of the notice is “a normal practice when SA hosts international summits”.
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