South Africa has been elected to the AU’s security council to serve a two-year term, the department of international relations and co-operation (Dirco) announced on Wednesday evening.
South Africa was elected, alongside Lesotho, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as the two countries to represent Southern Africa.
Minister Ronald Lamola said the election reaffirmed SA’s role in fostering a more resilient continent.
He thanked the AU member states for their confidence and reaffirmed Pretoria’s commitment to work constructively with the membership of the Security Council in addressing the many peace and security challenges on the continent.
SA is committed to contributing to a continent that is ... prosperous and embodies pan-African ideals. This commitment is evident in the numerous peace and security initiatives in which SA has participated and continues to engage
— Dirco
“The continent continues to grapple with issues such as unconstitutional changes of government, a recurring trend since 2020, which persists until today; and terrorism and violent extremism that has resulted in killings and maiming of thousands of innocent civilians,” the department said, adding that SA’s term on the council would be guided by its foreign policy that prioritises peace, stability and development in Africa.
“Furthermore, SA is committed to contributing to a continent that is ... prosperous and embodies pan-African ideals. This commitment is evident in the numerous peace and security initiatives in which SA has participated and continues to engage, including its role as interim chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).”
Dirco said SA would advocate for peaceful conflict resolution, inclusive dialogue and negotiations, aimed at supporting conflicting parties in finding durable solutions.
This comes as SA has been attempting to mediate in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has ravaged the East African block.
In October last year, the Sunday Times reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa had attempted to intervene after the conviction and sentencing of former DRC president Joseph Kabila. Kabila had been found guilty of treason after being tried in absentia in July 2025 for his alleged support for Rwanda-backed rebels, who this year seized large swathes of territory in the eastern DRC.
Kabila spent almost two decades in power before stepping down in 2018.
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