The CEO of the Inclusive Society Institute (ISI), Daryl Swanepoel, met with a delegation from the US State Department in Cape Town on Friday, 18 November 2022. The team visited South Africa in an effort to solidify and strengthen the Biden administration’s strategic outlook to help set a stronger foundation for the bilateral partnership between South Africa and the United States.
The US team comprised the Principal Deputy Director of the Bureau of Strategic Planning, Matan Chorev, and the Senior Advisor for Africa, Cecily Brewer. The aim was help shape and sharpen the US’s approach to key broader multilateral foreign policy priorities.
A wide range of issues were raised during the meeting, key amongst which included the role of multilateral fora and their role and operation in Africa. Swanepoel also raised the need for triangular engagement between Africa, the West and the East as they converge on the African continent. He also urged the US to continue to strengthen economic cooperation. The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) was a key instrument, which, he urged the US to, amidst rumors that is was to be renewed excluding South Africa, to renew with South Africa being retained as a beneficiary.
Both sides agreed that the engagement was very useful, and that dialogue channels be maintained and expanded.