South Africa has vowed to strengthen its economic diplomacy during its 2026 Foreign Policy Outlook.
South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, stated last week that is not about whether the country should engage in world affairs, but what that engagement delivers.
He said economic diplomacy must deliver tangible improvements in people’s lives.
“One clear way to secure these tangible improvements is to deepen intra-African trade,” Lamola noted.
Today, trade within SADC is estimated at 21%, while trade across Africa amounts to 16%.
He said African countries are trading with each other, however, more than 60% of what they trade is either processed or semi-processed, meaning more value added at home, more jobs, and more opportunities.
He added that the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could unlock a market of US$3.4 trillion.
Thus, SA is accelerating its implementation and strengthening its Economic Diplomacy Strategy, “so that our partnerships serve our people and contribute to shared prosperity,” Lamola noted.
