President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) on 12 February as South Africa stood at a pivotal moment in global and regional affairs. From strained relations with Washington and the international debate around the ICJ case against Israel, to the conclusion of its landmark G20 presidency, the country’s foreign policy faces growing complexity in an increasingly uncertain world. The 2026 SONA was expected to clarify how South Africa would navigate these challenges at a time when, as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned, the rules-based order risks giving way to the “law of the jungle.”
In this context, SAIIA, the Southern Africa Liaison Office (SALO) and the Institute for Global Dialogue (IGD) hosted an interactive dialogue that looked beyond diplomatic speeches to examine the practical implications of the SONA for South Africa’s international relations. The event explored how the country balances national interests, human rights, and non-alignment in a tense geopolitical environment, while identifying opportunities to advance African development and global governance reform.
The dialogue also launch two new SAIIA publications: Reframing Democracy in Africa by Karabo Mangena and Deon Cloete, and Digital Public Infrastructure Futures by Litha Mzinyati and Deon Cloete. Both provide fresh thinking on democratic renewal and digital transformation across the region.
Structured as a relaxed roundtable discussion, it encouraged open dialogue between experts and participants, creating space for genuine insight and reflection on South Africa’s foreign policy direction in 2026.
Participants
- Supra Mahumapelo, Chairperson of Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, Parliament
- Philani Mthembu, Executive Director, IGD
- Molly Dhlamini, Board Member, SALO
- Gustavo de Carvalho, Senior Researcher, SAIIA
- Sanusha Naidu, Senior Research Fellow, IGD
- Lwazi Somya, Manager: Policy, Advocacy, Stakeholder Engagement and Senior Researcher, SALO
- Isabel Bosman-Burnett, Researcher, SAIIA
- Karabo Mangena, Researcher, SAIIA
- Litha Mzinyati, Researcher, SAIIA
