Europe is committed to a shared future with SA
South Africa and the EU are reliable and predictable partners committed to forging a new era of co-operation in the pursuit of peace, development and prosperity — one that further advances our already well-established economic ties. In a world increasingly beset by geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges, such relationships are key for South Africa and Europe’s mutual security, economic development and for the prosperity of our peoples.
Just last week, during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to Ireland and Belgium to participate at the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, a sense of the warmth and shared values that underpin the relationship was much in evidence. At the forum, we launched a “Team Europe” investment package of almost R230bn with and for South Africa. Our message is very clear: together we can foster inclusive growth, build resilience and create a sustainable and secure future for all our people.
The partnership between South Africa and the EU does exactly that. It is a partnership of shared values, mutual trust, respect and mutual benefit.
When it comes to values, South Africa and the EU stand together in support of multilateralism, the rule of law, democracy and human rights. We stand side by side in pursuit of a strong rules-based international order. Our commitment to the UN, underpinned by the UN Charter and its principles, is unwavering. Part of this compact is our commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states. Together we support a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine, the occupied Palestinian territories, Sudan, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Part of this compact is our commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states. Together we support a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine, the occupied Palestinian territories, Sudan, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Human suffering, wherever it may occur, must be alleviated. Europe is the largest donor of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people and across the world. At the same time, we need to make the UN system fit for the future. The Pact for the Future, adopted a year ago, alongside the current UN80 reform launched by UN secretary-general António Guterres, constitutes our joint road map to adapt the global system for future generations.
Our people-to-people contacts make these shared values real. Thousands of South African students participate in exchange programmes at European universities. And thousands of European students come to South Africa. Learning goes both ways.
Ours is not just a partnership of values. It is a partnership of trust and respect. 2025 has presented South Africa with significant challenges. While some have turned their attention elsewhere, the EU not only remains engaged, we are doubling down with our support and are here to stay. We are negotiating a new clean trade and investment partnership to scale up private investment in South Africa and an agreement on sustainable minerals and metals. We have fully supported South Africa’s G20 presidency and its theme of solidarity, equality and sustainability throughout this important year. We support South Africa’s just energy transition, with a strong focus on the social dimension of the transition as well as on the sustainability of energy and transport networks. We must fight climate change united and accelerate efforts to adapt to its consequences.
Trust and respect also equate to honesty. We acknowledge that emerging economies are becoming more assertive. Every nation has the sovereign right to choose its own partnerships for the enhancement of its trade, economy and security. Europe’s engagement with South Africa does not seek to exclude or restrict other actors. We wish to further strengthen our collaboration based on a better and more comprehensive partnership than any other country or entity can give.
Ours is a partnership of mutual benefit. The premise is transparency about what both partners want. The EU remains South Africa’s largest trading partner and largest investor. More than 1,200 European companies have created half a million jobs in South Africa. Up to 70% of South African exports to the EU are value-added products, from cars to foodstuffs. This model transfers technology and invests in skills and creates lasting growth.
It is in these ways that the partnership between South Africa and the EU is a new model for strategic partnerships. A model founded on shared values and interests. One that takes trust and respect as the point of departure. That delivers mutual benefits and positive changes in people’s lives.
That said, we are not blind to the challenges ahead. Disinformation and other threats to information integrity pose substantial risks to the trust and openness that strong partnerships require. We must be vigilant and proactive in addressing these challenges together.
This is Europe’s approach: a partnership based on common interests, informed by our values, the shared commitments to global co-operation and to the UN Charter, and with respect for economic and political sovereignty and the right to choose.
Signed: Amb S Kramer (EU), Amb R Königsbrun (Austria), Amb P Jansen (Belgium), Amb M Tzorzorkova (Bulgaria), Amb A Cicvaric (Croatia), High Com A Mandritis (Cyprus), Amb T Ulicny (Czechia), Amb K Poulsen (Denmark), Amb D Schaer (Estonia), Amb P Metso (Finland), Amb D Martinon (France), Amb A Peschke (Germany), Amb G Aravositas (Greece), Amb A Horváth (Hungary), Amb A Gormley (Ireland), Amb A Vecchi (Italy), Amb R Jankauskaite (Lithuania), Amb J Doornewaard (Netherlands), C.d’A J Chodorowiz (Poland), Amb C Costa Neves (Portugal), Amb M Sitaru (Romania), Amb V Gracz (Slovakia), Amb JM Pascual (Spain), Amb AK Eneström (Sweden)