On October 7, 2024, the Deputy Minister from the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), H.E. Alvin Botes, visited ACCORD House. It was the Deputy Minister’s first visit to ACCORD, but he was already familiar with ACCORD’s work. ACCORD has collaborated with DIRCO on various activities, and Dr. Vasu Gounden, ACCORD’s Founder and Executive Director, has been conducting training for South African Heads of Missions and diplomatic cadets since 1994. Dr. Gounden has also delivered several presentations to the South African Parliament Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation over the years on various aspects of peace and security on the Continent.
Deputy Minister Botes was in Durban to present a public lecture at the University of KwaZulu-Natal on October 8, 2024, focusing on a review of South Africa’s role in the world after 30 years of democracy, including challenges and opportunities.
