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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in France for a high-profile, three-day Official Visit spanning July 10 to 12, 2026. The diplomatic mission is set to reinforce Pretoria’s growing geopolitical influence, blending crucial multilateral governance with bilateral economic strategy and historic commemoration.
Accompanied by a high-level ministerial delegation—including International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola and Defence Minister Angie Motshekga—Ramaphosa’s visit underscores the deep, comprehensive nature of South Africa-France relations.
Steering the Global Education Agenda
The visit kicks off today, Friday, July 10, with a heavy focus on global education governance. At the invitation of UNESCO Director-General Professor Khaled El-Enany, President Ramaphosa will co-chair the Leaders’ Meeting of the UNESCO High-Level Steering Committee on Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4: Quality Education).
South Africa’s co-chairpersonship highlights its expanding leadership on the world stage and international confidence in its educational contributions. The committee is tasked with endorsing global education priorities for the 2026–2027 period, focusing heavily on:
- Strengthening the teaching profession.
- Advancing foundational and lifelong learning.
- Promoting inclusive digital transformation.
- Securing sustainable educational financing.
Following this, Ramaphosa will participate in the Transforming Education Summit +4 (TES+4) Stocktake. Jointly convened by UNESCO and the United Nations, this summit assesses global progress since 2022 to accelerate SDG 4 targets by 2030. Crucially, Ramaphosa’s involvement aims to ensure strict policy coherence between South Africa’s upcoming G20 Presidency priorities and the global education agenda.
Bilateral and Economic Engagements
The diplomatic itinerary transitions to bilateral statecraft this evening, with a highly anticipated meeting and dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. Discussions are expected to span robust cooperation sectors including energy, defence, science and technology, and climate change, alongside critical dialogue on regional peace and security.
Tomorrow, Saturday, July 11, the President will pivot to economic diplomacy, hosting discussions with prominent French business leaders to stimulate reciprocal trade and investment.
Honouring Sacred History
The visit will conclude on Sunday, July 12, on a solemn note in northern France. President Ramaphosa will travel to the South African National Memorial in Longueval to attend the 110th Commemoration of the Battle of Delville Wood.
The ceremony honours the immense sacrifice of South African soldiers during the historic 1916 First World War battle. In addition to the traditional laying of wreaths, the President will unveil a UNESCO plaque officially recognizing the deep historical and global significance of the memorial site.
