Outcome of the 16th EU-South Africa Ministerial Political Dialogue (updated)

1. The European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, Ms Kaja Kallas, and the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Ronald O. Lamola, co-chaired the 16th session of the Ministerial Political Dialogue on 19 February 2025, in Cape Town, in the context of the EU-South Africa Strategic Partnership. The meeting was also attended by Mr Parks Tau, South African Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, and Mr John Steenhuizen, South African Minister of Agriculture. The High Representative’s three-day visit to Africa at the beginning of her mandate signals EU’s commitment to the partnership with South Africa and with the continent.
2. The EU – South Africa Ministerial Political Dialogue builds on the joint aspiration to further the Strategic Partnership, which has grown in depth and ambition over the years. The political and security cooperation is strong, and so are trade and investment relations: South Africa is EU’s largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa, and the EU is South Africa’s first trade and investment partner.
3. The Ministerial Political Dialogue is a key milestone ahead of the 8th European Union – South Africa Summit, which is scheduled for 13 March 2025. The political engagements between the European Union and South Africa contribute to the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the European Union’s partnership with Africa. In this context, both sides underscored the importance of holding the European Union – African Union Ministerial Meeting and Summit in 2025.
4. The Ministerial Political Dialogue presented an opportunity for the European Union and South Africa to reiterate their common commitment to multilateralism, a consistent approach to the rules-based international order, and the centrality of the United Nations Charter. The parties further agreed on the need to reform the UN Security Council, recognizing the urgent need to make it more representative, inclusive, transparent, efficient, democratic and accountable.
5. Both sides affirmed their unwavering commitment to act in accordance with international law, including the Charter of the United Nations and its purposes and principles. Both sides noted with distress the immense human suffering and the adverse impact of wars and conflicts around the world.  Both sides reaffirmed that all states must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in its entirety. In line with the UN Charter, all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state, and affirmed that all parties in conflicts must comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Both sides further agreed that, guided by these principles, to support efforts towards a just peace in Ukraine, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, the DRC and other major conflicts around the globe.
6. The European Union and South Africa also discussed their cooperation in multilateral and regional fora, focusing in particular on their joint efforts to promote human rights and sustainable development and to address climate change. The European Union emphasized its alignment with, and support for South Africa G20’s presidency priorities.
7. In view of the Summit, the European Union and South Africa also looked at their economic, trade and investment agenda, including outstanding issues on both sides. Underlining the importance of a just energy transition, the European Union and South Africa reviewed opportunities to step up cooperation on sustainable value chains, including critical raw materials with a view to further their respective competitiveness, economic security and decarbonisation efforts. The parties agreed that critical minerals have emerged as a pivotal topic on the global stage, reflecting a critical role in driving industrialisation, technological innovation, and inclusive economic growth. South Africa underscored the need for the transition to a low carbon economy to be just, enhance energy security and create jobs. The two sides acknowledged the role of regulatory cooperation, investment facilitation, as well as of businesses in driving these initiatives. The European Union and South Africa further welcomed the robust collaboration in the areas of education, research and innovation. Both sides discussed opportunities to further enhance cooperation on open science and nuclear medical applications, to ensure progress on South Africa joining the Clean Hydrogen Mission of Mission Innovation, to broaden the participation of South Africa in the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (R&I) Horizon Europe and in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions as well as to promote mobility and cooperation through Erasmus+.
8. The European Union and South Africa agreed that international trade is an important engine for inclusive economic growth, combating poverty and hunger and promoting sustainable development and the SDGs. The EU and South Africa also stressed that for trade and investment to act as a driver of global growth, well-being and prosperity, a transparent rules-based multilateral trading system, that is non-discriminatory, fair, open, inclusive, equitable and sustainable is a necessity. Both sides reaffirmed that the WTO must be at the core such a multilateral trading system.

Source – EEAS

Thank you. I am really happy to be here. This is my first visit as High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union to Africa since I took office in December.

I am very happy to be in this beautiful town. I can tell you that Brussels, compared to where I come from originally, is warm. So, this is very warm. I really thank you for your invitation here and also for the great hospitality.

We will continue to meet in the G20 format tomorrow in Johannesburg. It is also historic because it is the first time ever that it is hosted by an African country.

I very much look forward to our upcoming engagements, which will be guided by the same level of pragmatism, as well as by the values and principles that unite us.

You can count on the EU’s full support to South Africa’s leadership and ambitious G20 agenda. I am also convinced that both South Africa and the EU not only have an interest in working closely together, but will equally benefit from each other.

This positive mind-set is essential given the turbulent times that we have in the geopolitical context right now. We need to join forces as trusted partners. The EU is and will remain a reliable, predictable and credible partner.

We have on our agenda three very important events this year: the EU-South Africa Summit on 13 March in South Africa, the G20 Summit in November here as well, and the EU-African Union Ministerial and Summit which will hopefully also take place by the end of this year.

I know that President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen are very enthusiastic about their trip mid-March for the first Summit with South Africa since 2018.

Our relations with South Africa are critically important. We share with you, as strategic partners, a commitment to democracy, multilateralism, human rights, and sustainability.

Multilateralism is under threat right now, but I think that we also need to use this opportunity to develop the international system further to be more inclusive for all countries in the world, also taking into account the accountability issues and how we could prevent future wars. But we definitely look forward to work on this together.

Our partnership has considerably expanded and diversified over the years, on education, technology, trade, critical raw materials, energy cooperation. We have many areas of cooperation together and this is also reflected in the agenda of today’s meeting. We are going to discuss all these issues.

My ambition is to see this partnership further strengthened for the mutual benefit of our people, our societies and our economies.

I am very much looking forward to today and also the G20 meeting tomorrow, so thanks again for your warm hospitality.

Source – EEAS

We, the European Union and South Africa, discussed cooperation in multilateral and regional fora, focusing in particular on our joint efforts to promote human rights and sustainable development to address climate change.

The European Union emphasised its alignment with and support for South Africa G20’s presidency priorities.

In view of the Summit, the European Union and South Africa also looked at the economic, trade and investment agenda, including outstanding issues on both sides. Underlining the importance of a just energy transition, the European Union and South Africa then reviewed opportunities to step up cooperation on sustainable value chains – including critical raw materials – with view to further their respective competitiveness, economic security and key government efforts.

The parties agreed that critical minerals have emerged as a pivotal topic on the global stage, reflecting a critical role in driving industrialisation, technological innovation and an inclusive economic growth. South Africa underscored the need for the transition to a low-carbon economy to be just, enhance energy security and create jobs.

The two sides acknowledged the role of regulatory cooperation, investment facilitation, as well as of businesses in driving these initiatives. The European Union and South Africa further welcomed their robust collaboration in the areas of education, research and innovation.

Both sides discussed opportunities to further enhance cooperation on open science and nuclear medical applications, to ensure progress on South Africa joining the green hydrogen mission of Mission Innovation; to broaden the participation of South Africa in the EU framework programme for research and innovation, Horizon Europe; and in the Marie Curie actions as well as to promote mobility and cooperation through Erasmus+.

We, the European Union and South Africa, agreed that international trade is an important engine for inclusive economic growth, combating poverty and hunger and promoting sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The European Union and South Africa also stressed that more trade and investment will act as a driver of global growth.

Q&A

Q.  [inaudible]

First, we are in close contact with our United States counterparts, what they are saying, what they are trying to find out, if the Russians want peace. So far, they have not wanted peace. They just want to achieve everything that they have said before. I mean, they have invaded the country, taken the land, and want something on top of it. So, it is clear that for any kind of peace to work, it has to have Ukraine and Europe on board. Otherwise, it would just not function, because the implementation is in Europe and is in Ukraine. Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, and nothing about Europe can be agreed without Europe’s participation.

When it comes to Palestine, the European Union supports the Two-State Solution. We are the ones supporting the most the Palestinian Authority and also UNRWA to help the Palestinian refugees, and we have done other steps to support the advancement of the Two-states. In this regard, we are also in very close contact with our regional partners. And of course, we are happy that there is a ceasefire, but we need a more sustainable peace as well, that takes into account both the security of both sides, but also dignity of both sides.

When it comes to the United States, on disengagement or engagement, I think what we see now is that the European Union is the reliable, predictable and understandable partner. I think we need to play that role with our global partners like South Africa, but also at the multilateral fora. Our partners are looking at us, and we are definitely supporting the multilateral international order. We discussed today also how to reform the international order so that it would be more inclusive, taking into account the loopholes that it currently has. We are in this together. I really see an opportunity for the European Union here to be with our partners and to put the European flag up. Because, as I said, we are the reliable, predictable partner.

Source – EEAS