Statement of SAIIA's National Chairman 2015

The 2015 statement by SAIIA's National Chairman argues that South Africa's international soft power is dependent on its domestic adherence to constitutional democracy. It advocates for a more cohesive 'economic diplomacy' strategy, a commitment to a rules-based multilateral international order, and a diversified approach to global partnerships beyond the BRICS nations.

• South Africa's international influence and soft power are fundamentally linked to its domestic stability and adherence to constitutional principles. The author argues that the '1994 project' of democratic transformation provides the rationale for international respect, and that failure to maintain this domestic order will negatively impact the country's global standing.
• The South African government has increasingly emphasized 'economic diplomacy' to align foreign policy with domestic socio-economic challenges. Key economic goals include job creation, integration into the world economy, and accessing markets for goods and services, with a particular focus on the African continent's consumer markets, energy production, and infrastructure projects.
• The author identifies a lack of national consensus on how to achieve economic growth and jobs, noting that actual policies often contradict the provisions of the National Development Plan. To improve economic diplomacy, the author suggests establishing a 'national consensus on an economic South Africa Inc' to foster synergy between the state and the private sector.
• As a small regional power, South Africa's overarching interest is the maintenance of a rules-based international order and multilateralism to protect smaller nations from more powerful ones. While South Africa has challenged the US on global rules, the author warns that a shift toward a multipolar world will bring new challenges from other rising powers.
• The author cautions against an over-reliance on BRICS members, suggesting that an excessive focus on these partners may lead South Africa to overlook other economic and political collaboration opportunities.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2015). Statement of SAIIA's National Chairman 2015. https://saiia.org.za/news/statement-of-saiias-national-chairman-2015/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Statement of SAIIA's National Chairman 2015. 2015. https://saiia.org.za/news/statement-of-saiias-national-chairman-2015/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Statement of SAIIA's National Chairman 2015 |date=17 February 2015 |url=https://saiia.org.za/news/statement-of-saiias-national-chairman-2015/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2015statement, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Statement of SAIIA's National Chairman 2015}}, publisher = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2015}, month = feb, url = {https://saiia.org.za/news/statement-of-saiias-national-chairman-2015/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }