Iran, as a Brics member, will participate for the first time in the joint Brics naval exercise in Cape Town in January, much to the dismay of the DA, which says its participation will exacerbate South Africa’s tense relations with the US. Traditional participants Russia and China will also join Exercise MOSI III, which takes place every two years with the strategic objectives of enhancing maritime co-operation. The exercise was postponed from November when South Africa hosted the G20.
DA defence spokesperson Chris Hattingh said Iran’s Brics membership is no justification for its inclusion in the joint naval exercise because Brics was intended to be an economic, not a military, partnership. Other Brics countries such as India and Brazil do not participate. He said the participation of Iran and Russia makes it increasingly difficult for the government to maintain that South Africa is genuinely pursuing a policy of non-alignment.
“Hosting the military forces of Iran and Russia is not neutral. These are sanctioned states involved in active conflicts and serious human rights abuses. Allowing them to conduct military exercises in South African waters sends a clear political signal, whether government admits it or not.
Read Full Article on Business Day
[paywall]
South Africa’s policy of non-alignment is being hollowed out.” Hattingh said the participation of Russia and Iran reflects a deliberate willingness to accept alignment with authoritarian states, while hiding behind the language of non-alignment to avoid accountability. “This concern is heightened by recent public statements from Iran’s president describing his country as being in a state of war with the US and Western powers, making South Africa’s decision to host Iranian naval forces deeply concerning. “At the same time, South Africa’s defence relationships with democratic countries are weakening.
Joint military exercises with the US have been cancelled, US participation in the Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition failed, and diplomatic tensions are increasing. These outcomes are the predictable result of confused foreign policy and poor political judgment.” The department of defence noted in a statement on the postponement of the naval exercise from November that South Africa’s participation in military exercises of this nature with various countries is intended to strengthen multilateral and bilateral relations. Joint military exercises are held, the department said, with a broad range of countries. It noted that in the past few years, the South African National Defence Force has conducted joint and multinational military exercises with countries such as Brazil, China, France, Germany, Russia and the US.
[/paywall]
