SA was a founding member of the UN in 1945 before it was suspended in 1974 due to its apartheid policy. It resumed full membership in 1994.
SA’s influence within the UN outspreads political and economic matters to include values and principles that former President Nelson Mandela stood for. For instance, his birthday (18 July) is now observed throughout the world thanks to his dedication to human rights. It was a first for the UN to recognize an individual’s birthday as an international day.
As a strong believer in the UN, SA is an ardent supporter of multilateralism. Its foreign policy seeks to strengthen multilateralism and pursue dialogue through regional and global institutions, including the UN, the center of diplomacy. In the words of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, “Global challenges require global solutions,” a recognition that global threats can only be confronted through dialogue and international cooperation.
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