Ramaphosa signals foreign policy continuity with appointment of Lamola

President Cyril Ramaphosa has signalled the continuation of South Africa’s foreign policy with the appointment of Ronald Lamola as the new minister of international relations and cooperation.

After almost two weeks of negotiation and being inaugurated for his second term as South Africa’s president, Ramaphosa finally announced his new Government of National Unity (GNU) cabinet on Sunday night.

In an address that started almost an hour late, Ramaphosa appointed 32 cabinet ministers and 43 deputy ministers from different political parties who are part of the GNU.

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Lamola

Lamola who was the former Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Minister take over from former International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor, who recently announced her retirement.

The 41-year-old Lamola, a trained attorney, has been an MP since May 2019. He is a former deputy president of the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), having joined the league at the age of 13.

#NationalExecutive | The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation is Ronald Lamola. pic.twitter.com/P4WTA4bkmF

— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) June 30, 2024

Lamola has been on the international stage, playing a key role in the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and his appointment by Ramaphosa may signal continuity in the country’s foreign policy for the seventh administration.

Ramaphosa also announced Alvin Botes and Tandi Moraka deputies.

Foreign policy

South Africa has been at the forefront of the ICJ case at the Peace Palace against Israel for its war in Gaza.

The country’s foreign policy has become clearer than before, with Ramaphosa having cleared the fog about what we want in the world and how the world can benefit from us.

Ramaphosa has been unrelenting from the need to reform the UN itself and the international financial institutions, wars in the world, the African renaissance and economic growth of the continent, the blockade against Cuba and sanctions against Zimbabwe and how such actions affected their neighbouring countries, to the questions of Palestine and Western Sahara.

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