Presentation on the revised White Paper on South African Participation in

International Peace Missions

Select Committee on Trade and International Relations

12 February 2014

PRESENTATION FOCUS

1. Objective of the White Paper on South African Participation in International Peace Missions.

2. Background on the revision of the White Paper

3. Guiding principles and procedures for participation

4. South African Contribution

5. Co-ordination and implementation

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1. OBJECTIVE OF THE WHITE PAPER

The objective of the White Paper is to guide South Africa’s participation in international peace missions, in line with

the country’s foreign policy vision of “a better South Africa, a better Africa and a better World”, and the

Constitution.

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OBJECTIVE OF THE WHITE PAPER CONT

The mandate for SA’s international peace missions are done at 4 levels, namely the UN, AU, SADC and national levels:

United Nations (UN) level• UN Charter principles of consent, impartiality and the non-use of

force except in self-defence.• Primary organisation responsible for maintenance of global peace.• UNSC responsible for the establishment of a peace mission.

African Union (AU) level• Responsible for the promotion of peace and security in Africa.• Derives mandate from Chapter 8 of the UN Charter.

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OBJECTIVE OF THE WHITE PAPER CONT

African Union (AU) level Continued

• Article 3 and 4 of the AU’s Constitutive Act affirms the right of the AU to intervene in a member state especially under grave circumstances.

• The Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the PSC of the AU and the AU’s PCRD Policy seek to prevent conflict and to improve the timeliness for peace-building and PCRD activities.

• NEPAD emphasises peace and security as pre-conditions for socio-economic development.

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OBJECTIVE OF THE WHITE PAPER CONT

South African Development Community (SADC) level • AUPSC mandated• SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security promotes peace,

security and defence cooperation in the region through the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts.

National level• Informed by national interests and values enshrined in the

Constitution.• Founded in South African foreign policy objectives.

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2. BACKGROUND ON THE REVISION OF THE WHITE PAPER

Revision of the White Paper informed by:• The changing international security environment;

• Shift from traditional to multidimensional peacekeeping;

• Increase in incidents and complexity of intra-state conflict;

• Establishment of the AU Peace and Security Council in 2002; and

• SA’s commitment to gender equality

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3. GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES FOR PARTICIPATION

South African participation in peace missions based on the following:

• A clear and acceptable mandate;• Consent by parties to the conflict;• Impartiality on the implementation of the mandate without favour or

prejudice;• Minimum use of force when other methods have been exhausted;• Credibility as a reflection that the mission is able to achieve the

mandate;• Legitimacy premised on the understanding that the mission is

justified;• Promotion of national and local ownership;

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES FOR PARTICIPATION CONT

South African participation in peace missions based on the following cont:

• Clear entry, transition and exit strategy prior to commitments;• Adequate resources that should be made available for the

achievement of the mandate;• Transparency and communication of the mission’s mandate to all

stakeholders; and• Unity of effort and multilateral and regional cooperation towards the

achievement of the mandate.

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4. SOUTH AFRICAN CONTRIBUTION

South Africa obligated by the White Paper to contribute the following components to the UN, AU and SADC Standby Arrangements:

Civilian Component• Refers to all government officials under the Public Service Act of

1994 and the Correctional Service Act 111 Of 1998.• Excludes the members of the defence force and the police.• Includes people outside government service.

Military Component• Refers to the military• Role to support peace process by creating conducive conditions

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SOUTH AFRICAN CONTRIBUTION CONT

Police Component• Includes individual police and formed police units.• Role to assist with law enforcement functions of the national and

local police.• Ensure that law and order is maintained.

Current contributions• 1407 personnel deployed Intervention Brigade under MONUSCO in the

DRC.

• 863 personnel deployed to UNAMID.

• 17 personnel deployed to UNMISS.

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5. CO-ORDINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION

• The White Paper states that the National Office for the Co-ordination of Peace Missions at DIRCO is responsible for the coordination of SA’s participation in peace missions.

• Role to ensure and facilitate the coordinated execution of SA government policy on the enhancement of SA capacity for peace missions and participation in international peace missions.

CONCLUSION

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