South African peacebuilding needs new purpose

The document argues that South Africa's influence in global peacebuilding has waned since the late 2000s due to a lack of strategic coordination, political will, and effective financial mechanisms. It highlights the failure of the African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund (ARF) to prioritise conflict resolution and the long-delayed establishment of the South African Development Partnership Agency (SADPA). The author recommends that the government professionalise its foreign service, expedite the Partnership for Development Bill, and align peacebuilding efforts with trade and investment priorities to reclaim its international standing.

• South Africa's peacebuilding efforts are currently uncoordinated and under-prioritised, lacking a strategic plan that connects bilateral and multilateral commitments with long-term foreign-policy goals for trade, development, and investment.
• The African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund (ARF), a primary financial mechanism for conflict resolution, has been ineffective; only 4% of its disbursements over the last five years were directed toward conflict resolution.
• South Africa has experienced a decline in global visibility and political will regarding peacebuilding, evidenced by its absence from international policy processes and a failure to make voluntary contributions to the UN Peacebuilding Fund since 2006.
• There is potential for renewal through the recent passage of the Foreign Service Act and the prioritisation of the draft Partnership for Development Bill, which is required to establish the South African Development Partnership Agency (SADPA) and repeal the ARF Act.
• South Africa's role as AU Chair has not been leveraged to advance peace and security priorities, contrasting with the actions of previous chairs from Egypt and Rwanda.

APA

Singh, P. (2020). South African peacebuilding needs new purpose. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb-154-2.pdf

Chicago

Singh, Priyal. South African peacebuilding needs new purpose. Institute for Security Studies, 2020. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb-154-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Singh |first1=Priyal |title=South African peacebuilding needs new purpose |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=2020 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb-154-2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{singh2020south, author = {Singh, Priyal}, title = {{South African peacebuilding needs new purpose}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2020}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb-154-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }