AN EMERGING SOUTH AFRICAN FOREIGN POLICY INDENTITY?

The document examines South Africa's evolving foreign policy as it navigates its role as a regional hegemon and an aspiring global middle power. It highlights the tension between South Africa's democratic values and the reality of state collapse across Africa, while discussing the 'African Renaissance' as a framework for leadership without dominance. The paper also analyzes the strategic importance of the African market to South Africa and the development of a formal policy for participation in international peace missions.

• South Africa is transitioning toward a 'middle-power leadership' identity, which emphasizes multilateralism, networking, and a collaborative rather than competitive approach to international relations to avoid hegemonic behavior.
• Africa has become South Africa's largest export market, particularly for value-added goods, manufacturing, and services, providing the country with stronger competitive advantages than its traditional 'Triad' markets of Europe, North America, and Japan.
• The 'African Renaissance' is presented as a strategic paradigm to allow South Africa to lead the region in areas of good governance and democracy without appearing to dominate other African leaders.
• South Africa's participation in peace missions is guided by a ground-breaking White Paper that frames military action within a broader peacebuilding framework involving both state and non-state actors, though implementation has been slow.
• The document argues that the consolidation of the state is the essential prerequisite for stability, democracy, and economic protection against the volatility of global financial markets in Africa.
• South Africa faces significant challenges in its regional leadership due to its inherent economic and military dominance, which causes neighboring states to fear its political influence.

APA

Cilliers, J. (1999). AN EMERGING SOUTH AFRICAN FOREIGN POLICY INDENTITY? Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/paper39.pdf

Chicago

Cilliers, Jakkie. AN EMERGING SOUTH AFRICAN FOREIGN POLICY INDENTITY? Institute for Security Studies, 1999. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/paper39.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cilliers |first1=Jakkie |title=AN EMERGING SOUTH AFRICAN FOREIGN POLICY INDENTITY? |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=April 1999 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/paper39.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cilliers1999emerging, author = {Cilliers, Jakkie}, title = {{AN EMERGING SOUTH AFRICAN FOREIGN POLICY INDENTITY?}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {1999}, month = apr, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/paper39.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }