Department of International Relations and Cooperation

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) is the foreign ministry of the South African government. It is responsible for South Africa's relationships with foreign countries and international organizations, and runs South Africa's diplomatic missions. The department is headed by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, currently Ronald Lamola.

Background
Prior to 1927, the British government attended to the external affairs of South Africa, though the latter did have its own trade commissioners that were sent to various countries. In November 1926, at the Imperial Conference, the various prime ministers of the Dominions attended, with conference negotiating what became the Balfour Declaration and an autonomy for the domains within a Commonwealth of Nations. The South Africans could now communicate with the commonwealth countries and others directly without communicating through the countries governors-general. A Department of External Affairs was created inside the prime minister's office on 1 June 1927. In 1931, the Statute of Westminster gave South Africa full sovereignty in regards to external affairs, and confirmed by the Status of the Union Act, 1934.

In 1955, a separate department was created, the Department of External Affairs with its own minister. Prior to that date, foreign affairs were conducted through the office of the prime minister of South Africa. Later known as the Department of Foreign Affairs, it was renamed the Department of International Relations and Cooperation by President Jacob Zuma in May 2009. In the 2010 national budget, it received an appropriation of 4,824.4 million rand, and had 4,533 employees.

According to OECD estimates, 2019 official development assistance from South Africa decreased to US$106 million. In 2022, when Cuba asked for humanitarian medical and food aid, AfriForum managed to obtain an interdict against a pending R50 million payout by the department, labelling it "squandering of taxpayers' money". The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, Supra Mahumapelo, decried the ruling due to its perceived impact on South Africa's solidarity work with countries like Cuba.