ASEAN, African Union Should Initiate Process Of Systematic Exchanges -- South Africa's Envoy

By Rohani Mohd Ibrahim

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 (Bernama) -- ASEAN and the African Union should initiate systematic exchanges, given their shared vision on various global issues and domestic challenges, South Africa’s High Commissioner to Malaysia Dave Malcomson said.

He said that democracy, human rights, sustainable development, and addressing the prevailing global system and power structures, as well as the global financial architecture, are pivotal in the foreign and domestic policies of ASEAN and the African Union.

Speaking at Malaysia’s Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations (IDFR) Distinguished Lecture Series on Thursday, Malcomson said South Africa acceded to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) with ASEAN on November 10, 2020 and has been accepted as a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN.

He added that South Africa’s accession to the ASEAN TAC, along with Egypt and Nigeria, is a step closer to forging a strategic partnership between ASEAN and the African Continental Free Trade Area, through the African Union.

 “Active trade and investment between the two blocs will change and improve the lives of people in ASEAN and Africa. In this process, it is important that we both recognise each other as gateways to our respective regions,” Malcomson said in his lecture titled ‘Diplomacy in an Era of Geopolitical Contestation’. 

On the issue of Palestine, he emphasised that all parties must continue to do everything in their power, both individually and collectively, to pressure Israel to halt the violence, implement the binding decisions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and work towards a sustainable solution for the long-sought freedom of the Palestinian people.

“Diplomatic efforts to bring peace to Gaza are stalling, with the overall death toll continuing to rise, predominantly affecting women and children. The majority of the population is internally displaced, facing disease, starvation, and the constant threat of military strikes,” he said.

Elaborating on BRICS that Malaysia has expressed its interest to join, Malcomson said there are certain narratives that attempt to post BRICS as being set up in opposition to something, or as an alternative to something.

It attempts to place BRICS at the centre of the geopolitical contestation, he added. 

Malcomson stressed that BRICS was not constructed in opposition or to counter anything.

“We are not against any country or group of countries. Rather we came together as a set of countries sharing a set of principles and objectives of what we would like to see happening nationally, regionally, and globally,” he said. 

Meanwhile, IDFR – in its statement distributed during the event – said the lecture was timely as Malaysia recently put forth its ambition to join the BRICS bloc of emerging economies, of which South Africa has been a prominent member. 

The lecture also showcased Malaysia’s commitment towards strengthening bilateral relations with South Africa and continued support of South Africa’s action in instituting proceedings against Israel for the oppression towards the Palestinian people. 

-- BERNAMA