Speech by Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, at the First International Security Forum in Moscow, Russia

Tuesday, 26 May 2026: 14h00 - 15h30

1. Power of cooperation for the health of nations 

Health response cooperation and coordination has become an integral pillar of international security in the post- COVID-19 pandemic era. As a country, South Africa had interesting insights on health cooperation and coordination during her tenure as the African Union COVID-19 champion.   These insights include mechanisms to promote fair access to vaccines and strategies focused on strengthening pandemic preparedness. With the recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease, we are focused on improving cross-border disease-surveillance systems.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we witnessed improved global heath cooperation that resulted in the development and availability of life saving vaccines. The pace with which Covid-19 vaccines were developed indicated that with cooperation, it is possible to resolve endemic diseases. Therefore, with cooperation, it should be possible to eradicate epidemics such malaria, TB, cholera, HIV/ Aids, Ebola other regional epidemics. 

In the current global order, global health cooperation is always witnessed on diseases that affect the global north, leaving Africa and to some extent Asia to their own devices. For example, the Central – East Africa region is experiencing another outbreak of Ebola but the global North have opted to not only watch but we are witnessing the diversion of flights with passengers from the region, without any response to the call for support by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) of the African Union. 

Even when vaccines became available during the COVID-19 pandemic, the global North opted to hoard the vaccines for their own nations in total violation of the World Health Organisation (WHO) principles. When the global South applied for patents waivers at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to develop their own Covid-19 vaccines, even  our supposed allies in the global North opposed our patent waiver applications.

Therefore, Forums like the International Security Forum cannot just talk about the power of cooperation for the health of nations without also focusing on building resilience and regional response capacity of the global South. South Africa has just pledged US$5 million to the CDC to deal with the current Ebola outbreak – how much is the International Security Forum mobilising to help Africa address Ebola? 

South Africa is driving several initiatives such as a partnership to establish Africa’s first end-to-end, multi-vaccine production plant that will produce oral cholera vaccines, and later expanding to include vaccines for polio, pneumonia, and meningitis. Once fully operational, Biovac will have a production capacity of up to 40 million doses annually, significantly bolstering Africa’s healthcare resilience and supply chain security. The plant is scheduled for completion by 2028.

There is an urgency for all regions and countries to have capacity for robust early warning mechanisms to enable timely information sharing so that the international community can mount coordinated responses to health emergencies. A health emergency in one region can quickly morph into a global health emergency due to the benefits of globalisation.

Furthermore, Integrated digital health technologies (including AI-enabled diagnostics and data platforms) are enabling faster detection and more effective containment of outbreaks, although geopolitical competition and unequal access to these tools continue to undermine collective efforts, particularly between developed and developing regions.

Health must be insulated from global geo-political contestations through ensuring that health cooperation, access to WHO programmes and pandemic related products must not be conditioned on unrelated political concessions or resource deals.

2. Disinformation and manipulation as tools of the west’s hybrid war against the global majority for maintaining hegemony

Disinformation and information manipulation have become core instruments of hybrid warfare, used to shape narratives, influence political outcomes and secure strategic advantage without crossing the threshold of open armed conflict. Conflicts in different regions demonstrate how state and non-state actors combine coordinated media campaigns, cyber operations and targeted online messaging to steer public opinion and to contest control of information environments. Multiple competing operations often run in parallel, seeking to influence perceptions, governance models and economic partnerships. This demonstrates that the global disinformation landscape is multi-directional and highly contested, with the global majority frequently serving both as the target and the terrain of these campaigns.

South Africa has faced sustained disinformation campaigns during its elections, on foreign and domestic policy decisions. The so called “white genocide” narrative campaign radicalises farm murders to claim a systematic extermination of white people, amplified by international far-right networks at state and non-state levels.  Disinformation must be understood as a shared global threat; reducing it to a geographical label risks oversimplifying the challenge and obscuring the wider international dynamics at play. South Africa’s strategic interest lies in protecting its information sovereignty while maintaining balanced international relationships, ensuring that external narratives and influence do not compromise national decision making or social cohesion.

We have observed the contribution of digital media and artificial intelligence (AI) as theatres and tools of disinformation and misinformation. We are currently reviewing our information and related policies to compel digital platforms to:

- Disclose the AI generated content carried on their platforms (AI content branding), and 
- Prohibit the publication of Fake and Misleading News about South Africa

Furthermore, we are working to provision for the government Fact-Check capability to proactively debunk deepfakes, fake and misinformation and provide correct facts against the fake news. We are also developing a “Quick Guide” to assist government communicators in effectively countering misinformation, disinformation and malinformation.

Thursday, 28 May 2026: 09h30 - 12h30

1. Challenges and threats to international security in the context of the emergency of the multipolar world 

We meet at a moment when the international security environment is shaped by overlapping crises such as persistent armed conflicts, geo-economic pressures, technological disruptions and accelerating impacts of climate change. At the same time, power is diffusing. The world is moving from a largely unipolar system to a more complex, multipolar order in which several centres of power (including the United States, China, Russia, India, the European Union and key regional groupings) exert significant influence on global affairs. South Africa’s view is that multipolarity in itself is not a threat. Properly managed, it can create space for a more equitable and representative international system in which the Global South has a stronger voice. The danger lies in how this transition is unfolding, with heightened strategic rivalry, fragmented responses to crises, and a weakening consensus on multilateral rules and norms.

We see this in the deterioration of trust between major powers, the paralysis in some multilateral forums and the growing temptation to use unilateral measures, including sanctions and extraterritorial policies that often have unintended consequences for developing countries. Ongoing conflicts, including the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East, have deepened polarisation between blocs and exposed fault lines in the global governance system. For South Africa, whose foreign policy is grounded in non-alignment, constitutional values and the primacy of international law, these developments underscore the need to defend the United Nations Charter, sovereign equality and the peaceful settlement of disputes. As outlined in our National Security Strategy, national and international security cannot be separated from human security, economic justice and the credibility of multilateral institutions. 

In this emerging multipolar world, South Africa’s strategic interest is to help rebuild consensus on fair, rules-based multilateralism; to work with all partners, North and South, on issues such as the climate, cyber threats, illicit financial flows and pandemics; and to ensure that competition between major powers does not come at the expense of the African continent. Our message is clear: Multipolarity must not mean multi-conflict or multi-standards. It must mean shared responsibility, consistent respect for international law, and a greater voice and agency for the Global South in shaping the future of global security governance.

Thursday, 28 May 2026: 12h30 - 14h00

1. BRICS coordination on international issues

South Africa regards BRICS as a critical forum where we focus on matters of common interest and mutual benefits, and where we prepare our shared approaches to a rapidly changing global landscape.  We meet at a time when geopolitics has once again taken centre stage and is affecting and impacting on the development of all, which makes purposeful coordination of our international positions more important than ever.

South Africa supports the view that we must reinforce the way we do things through both BRICS and the multilateral system of the United Nations.  Coordination of international positions among BRICS is not about creating an alternative to existing institutions; it is about deepening our internal alignment so that our engagement with those institutions is more effective and more reflective of the realities and aspirations of the Global South. At the same time, we recognise and respect that each BRICS member retains its own national interests, constitutional mandates and legal obligations. Our goal, therefore, is alignment where possible, and mutual understanding and transparency where full agreement is not yet attainable.

Our coordination should be rooted in a shared understanding of the challenges we face. As we have said in the past, challenges of instability, terrorism, cyber attacks or economic coercion that undermines development and human security are not unique to any one country.  This shared exposure underpins our effort to craft coordinated positions that are guided by international law, the Charter of the United Nations, and a strong preference for the peaceful settlement of disputes and dialogue over confrontation.

In practice, this means that when we discuss global crises, we should consistently highlight their spill over effect on African peace and development, food and energy security and argue for solutions that strengthen, rather than side-line regional organisations such as the African Union.  South Africa’s approach to coordination of international positions within BRICS is guided by three principles.  First, that coordinated positions must strengthen multilateralism and the UN centred rules-based order not erode it.  Second, that they must translate into concrete contributions to global peace, resilience and sustainable development, particularly for the most vulnerable.  Thirdly, that they must broaden the space for the Global South, especially Africa, to shape decisions that have historically been taken without us.

2. Middle East Crisis

The situation in the Middle East remains tense due to the long-standing Israel-Palestine conflict and a fragile ceasefire between the United States (US) and Iran. In Palestine, the Gaza strip continues to experience violence, exacerbated by a severe humanitarian crisis and mass displacements. While large-scale civilian attacks have stopped, implementing Phase II of the ceasefire faces political challenges, which hinders the broader diplomatic road map for stability. 

As the war between Israel and the US on one side and Iran on the other enters its fourth month, the objectives of the US/ Israel to eliminate Iran’s leadership and instigate regime change remain unfulfilled. This is largely due to Iran’s fierce resistance, which the US and Israel underestimated when they initiated the war. Despite the assassination of high-ranking Iranian officials, Iran’s military capability remains largely intact, and its hard-line position has been strengthened.

The war remains uncertain under the fragile ceasefire and relentless threats of renewed attacks from both sides. Pakistan-led diplomatic efforts to end the war are ongoing but intermittent, with both sides reluctant to make major concessions due to deep mistrust. The warring parties continue to exchange proposals, often changing their goalposts frequently.

The dual naval blockade by the US and Iran of the Strait of Hormuz remains in place, severely disrupting global shipping. Both Iran and the US continue to attack ships in and around the strait. The intensified military deployments by both sides have turned this critical chokepoint into a no-go zone. Furthermore, threatens to expand its leverage in the Strait of Hormuz to include vulnerabilities in digital infrastructure. Iran plans to target and disrupt fibre-optic subsea communication cables in the Strait. Such sabotage could impact global technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon, adding a catastrophic digital dimension to the blockade of the strait. Digital disruptions could negatively impact communications, financial transactions, social media, e-commerce and streaming services. The possibility of the war transitioning from threatening global energy to posing a risk to digital infrastructure could lead to a global digital catastrophe. 

Thus, the situation remains volatile and unpredictable due to significant areas of divergence, with neither side willing to make concessions. The Strait of Hormuz will continue to be a contested maritime chokepoint, used as a strategic pressure point, with control of the passage leverage for broader negotiations. The repeated ceasefire violations in this area, coupled with the diplomatic deadlock, suggests that the possibility of returning to a full-scale war cannot be discounted.

South Africa, like other countries in the world will continue to bear the brunt of rising energy prices, inflation, and a high cost of living. Consequently, the Republic will persist in calling for an end to the war and a negotiated settlement to bring stability to the region. Regarding Palestine, South Africa will support initiatives from the international community aimed at creating a credible pathway toward establishing Palestinian Statehood within the 1967 borders, alongside Israel, with East Jerusalem as its capital. 

3. Food and energy security issues 

Food and energy security have become defining issues of our time.  Together, BRICS countries and new partners are responsible for 40-45% of global food production, about one-third of the world’s agricultural land and close to 40% of global water resources, making this grouping a central pillar of global food security and an indispensable actor in the energy transition.  Yet, in 2025 an estimated 673 million people still faced hunger, while climate change, price volatility and conflict continue to erode the resilience of food and energy systems, particularly in the Global South.

Within BRICS, we increasingly recognise that food and energy security cannot be treated in isolation.  Evidence from our own countries shows how energy shortages, water stress and climate shocks directly undermine agricultural output and food access, and how unbalanced growth patterns can amplify these vulnerabilities.  For South Africa and Africa as whole, this nexus is very real; droughts, rising input costs and fuel price spikes translate rapidly into higher food prices, lost livelihoods and deepened inequality.

South Africa’s Musa Plan use data driven research and collaborative resource mobilisation to support efforts to end food poverty and food insecurity.  Just Energy Transition Investment Plan has attracted around 13.5 billion USD in international pledges to scale renewable manufacturing, grid and transmission upgrades and skills development across the transition value chain.

Food and energy security should be treated as a strategic area of BRICS cooperation where we link three strands of work.  First, coordinated trade and investment that supports resilient agricultural value chains and sustainable energy systems, including through South-South technology transfer, sustainable trade frameworks, and responsible investment in critical minerals and agricultural supply chains.  Second, joint innovation; sharing best practice on drought resistant crops, water efficient irrigation, renewable powered agro-processing and storage, including risk management tools that help buffer our populations from price spikes and climate disasters.  Third, common advocacy in global forums for fairer rules on agricultural trade, climate finance and energy transition support, so that our countries are not forced to choose between development, food on the table and climate ambition.

Our objective as South Africa is for BRICS to turn our combined potential into real security for our peoples. This mean working with partners to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to ensure stable and affordable energy for households and industry, and to build systems that can withstand the shocks what we know are coming.