ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY

Ms Mto
Click Dlomo,
edit Master
DDG: subtitle
Diplomatic
styleTraining Research and
Development (DTRD)

Presentation to Portfolio Committee

11 August 2010
 Conceptual definition

 Diplomacy – political process of negotiations & influence between

governments (and non-state actors)

 Economic diplomacy – a diplomatic tool to achieve political

economy objectives

 Economic: global policy making process – political & technical; has

become a priority: globalisation, WTO role

 Commercial: marketing of country, promotion of trade & invest

 Progress Overview of Economic Diplomacy
Training Programme

 Cabinet Lekgotla (June 2007) took a decision that training should be

provided

 Municipalities, provinces & national depts involved

 Coordination & expertise initially a challenge

 Need for a policy framework (see circulated doc)

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 Training at the Diplomatic Academy

 Economic Diplomacy in all Dirco training programmes including

annual conference

 Delivered with DTI, share experiences with others spheres

 Government wide programme involves municipalities, trade &

investment agencies, municipalities, business, JSE, Tourism SA,
IMC and

 National governments: National Treasury, Reserve Bank, DTI,

 Training at the Diplomatic Academy

 Programme presented to Cluster end of September 2009

 Two Programmes: i) 16 to 20 November 2009 (Pilot

Programme), ii) 3 to 7 May 2010

 Participants:
 National Departments
 DIRCO, Department of Trade and Industry (the dti),
National Treasury, Department of Home Affairs,
Department of Science and Technology, Department of
Environmental Affairs
 Provinces 55
 Training approach

 Mainly target Practitioners from government

 Curriculum includes: economic concepts, history of development

and industrialisation: Africa and South Africa, South Africa’s
economic development and financial management policies

 Foreign policy

 Implementation of foreign policy and link between foreign policy

and economics

 Role of diplomacy/diplomats vs other departments and spheres of

government
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 Implementation of economic diplomacy : diplomacy and tool kit for
 Overview of the Curriculum

Linking Policies, Strategies and Projects

- Economic Diplomacy and the Private Sector : A Panel
Discussion

Marketing and Tourism:

- International Marketing Council (IMC)
-The Spheres of Government:
Part One: The Provinces
Part Two: The Municipalities

Economic Diplomacy: The Toolkit

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 Conference discussion on Economic
Diplomacy

 Mainly deal with issues such as how to do business in Africa

 How to coordinate government and business activities

 How to embrace government’s values in Africa

 Skills needed and understanding business strategies

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 Way Forward

 Next Programme
 27 September to 1 October 2010
 Venue: OR Tambo Building

 Feedback very positive

 Improving the toolkit to enhance the practical know-how

 Sharing experience with other practitioners

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