Chairperson, as the ANC, we believe that the international relations and co-operations policy belongs to South Africans. It belongs to South Africans because it mirrors their long relationship with the international community. It reflects the rich tapestry of their international heritage. It demonstrates their desire to live in harmony with their neighbours. It signals their intent to contribute creatively to Africa's future. It beckons them to international service, so that the country may fulfil its calling as a responsible global player and it summons all South Africans to think beyond the immediate, to reach towards the challenges of the century.
These ideals echo the words of the Freedom Charter, which proclaims that: "There shall be peace and friendship".
Therefore, Parliament has an obligation to ensure that it belongs to the people of South Africa, by ensuring that it continues its distinct constitutional duty in the process of government, and that it is the pre- eminent institution through which the public expresses its views concerning international and co-operative policies.
With the rise of a nonracial and nonsexist democratic South Africa from the ashes of apartheid, the ANC vowed that we will not terminate our quest for human rights. Those that have said so today are not speaking the truth. Therefore, South Africa has become a fully-fledged and vital member of the family of nations who hold human rights issues central to international relations and co-operations policy.
They have demonstrated that by becoming a party of conventions, produced by the international labour organisations, for example, protecting workers, indigenous people and children. We also shape our bilateral relations influenced by our quest for human rights. We have done so in the European Union agreements, when we had agreements with the Lesotho Highlands as far as water is concerned.
As Parliament, we must ensure that South Africa is not selective nor afraid to raise human rights violations with countries where our own and other interests might be negatively affected. We believe that South Africa's experience shows how damaging policy can be when issues of principle are sacrificed for economic and political expediency.
Our emergence as a democratic country in the decade of the century has thrust us into a fundamentally transformed world, and the Cold War has ended. Our new era has dawned, whose main content is, inter alia, the ever- growing conflict between a highly industrialised and affluent North and impoverished underdeveloped, highly populated South. More and more issues such as development, human rights, the environment, South-South co- operation, North-South relations, multilateralism, peace, security and disarmament are dominating the international agenda.
Obviously, our response to these basic issues would be informed by the necessity to advance our common national interests in the first place and, secondly, to ensure that Africa develops in conditions of peace, security and stability. We recognise the time that necessitates redesigning of international organisations, thus the call made by President Zuma at the United Nations in September this year, when he said that the United Nations must be supported by this Parliament.
We believe that the United Nations must ensure that equality of sovereignty is the only determinant of power in its deliberating bodies. Therefore, there can be no inequities generated by centres of privilege underpinned by special powers.
On the issue raised by the hon Dudley earlier on the resolution of South Africa's position at the UN with regard to rape, it must be placed in its proper context. We have not disagreed, but said that it did not go very far. She has also said that. We wanted a resolution that is non- politicised, but one that looks at it holistically. This resolution must include rape by soldiers, those in detention and in a situation of foreign occupation. Our view is a holistic one that we have argued for.
In charting this future, we will strive to contribute towards improving the basic human conditions of all Africa's people. Global change has brought economics and development to the centre of international relations. South Africa's security, the well-being of our people and international peace are all linked to economic growth. Growth without development and redistribution will both deny freedom and hamper democracy.
A country's national interest is the collective - and indeed an aggregation of all other interests in all political, economic and social interests. Our Constitution speaks about it very clearly. Therefore, there can't be any argument that we are confused about what our national interest is. I don't think that our Constitution was amended in that regard. I do think that we must read the Constitution again.
South Africa's national interest is best conceptualised and derived from how its identities are being produced in interaction with its own society and the main identities that constitute the societal and social dimensions of state activity. National interests cannot be the purview of the state alone, but can encourage an enabling environment of dialogue and discourse among all stakeholders to interrogate policies in the best interests of the people. Parliament can ensure that the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Co-operations is given sufficient capacity to enable it to do oversight responsibly, especially outside of the borders of South Africa.
In doing so, it will be enhancing its own public diplomacy programmes with South African people to ensure that there is peace and friendship. I thank you. [Applause.]