Advisory - South Africas Approach to Hosting and Chairing Major Events _ August 2024

South African foreign policy positions the country at the centre of international affairs, referred to as ‘punching above its weight.’ This stems from its history, including its role in the First World War and the struggle against apartheid. In the post-apartheid period, South Africa continued to assert its international presence by sending cultural icons abroad and hosting major events. The country has also chaired significant international bodies and initiatives. Despite these efforts, it has not systematically measured the benefits of hosting and chairing to justify the costs. The National Planning Commission (NPC) studied the cost-benefit balance of hosting and chairing international events to provide suggestions for a better balance. The study focused on the benefits derived from hosting and chairing the Southern African Development Community (SADC), African Union, and Brazil, BRICS forums. These entities were chosen for the availability of data and the different dynamics associated with hosting and chairing them. The findings suggest that while South Africa uses hosting and chairing opportunities to advance its national and regional interests and to enhance its global image as Africa's voice, domestic constraints have complicated its foreign policy identity and limited its ability to produce results. South Africa has demonstrated effective leadership when chairing by contributing to positive outcomes for the chaired entity and generating direct and indirect benefits. Lessons from comparative case studies show that chairing and hosting offer long-term benefits when correctly planned to include the growth of political, economic, and cultural capital. However, South Africa's share of BRICS trade and investment remains low. There are growing concerns about the misalignment of South Africa’s political and economic policies, with an overemphasis on political objectives undermining potential economic interests. Additionally, there is no guiding document or strategy governing how the country approaches chairing and hosting as a foreign policy activity. The study recommends how to enhance South Africa's approach to hosting and chairing international events, such as continuously updating national framework documents related to foreign policy, strengthening Parliament's oversight role in international engagements, and establishing a forum for discussing foreign policy issues.