Nuanced Balancing Act: South Africa’s National and International Interests and its ‘African Agenda’

Image: Flickr, GovernmentZA
Image: Flickr, GovernmentZA

Since apartheid ended, much of South Africa's positioning on the world stage has been informed by what has been described as an Afrocentric approach to foreign relations.

This paper examines the central question of whether or not the South African government’s ‘African Agenda’ and the ‘diplomacy of ‘Ubuntu’ articulated by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), are realistic strategies that take adequate account of South Africa’s national interests as related to the human and social wellbeing of its people as provided for in the preamble of the 1996 constitution.

The views expressed in this publication/article are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the views of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA).

18 Sep 2012