South Africa’s foreign minister wants better relations with the West

The novelty of the GNU has obscured another important change. Of the 32 appointments Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s president, made to his bloated cabinet, the most intriguing was that of Ronald Lamola as foreign minister. The replacement of Naledi Pandor with the 40-year-old has raised hopes that South Africa wishes to reset relations with the West after years of rising tensions and ahead of the G20 summit in the country next year. It is also a signal that Mr Ramaphosa sees the youngest ANC member of his cabinet as a potential successor. The Economist recently spoke to him in his first interview with a foreign newspaper in his new job.