Co-operation in the South Atlantic Zone: Amplifying the African Agenda

The policy brief proposes that South Africa shift its Latin American engagement from a Brazil-centric approach to a broader 'South Atlantic Zone' framework. This strategy aims to leverage shared developmental trajectories and maritime interests to bolster the 'blue economy' and regional security. The authors highlight the Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic (ZPCSA) as a key mechanism for collaboration, alongside maritime exercises like IBSAMAR and Atlasur. While trade between South Africa and Latin American South Atlantic countries remains low, the document identifies significant potential for growth in ocean economics, specifically through initiatives like Operation Phakisa, and cultural ties via the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).

• South Africa's engagement in South America has historically been skewed toward Brazil, leaving other significant Latin American countries neglected.
• The Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic (ZPCSA), established in 1986, provides a framework for security co-operation among 24 countries, including South Africa, Brazil, and Nigeria, though progress has been slow due to a focus on institutional frameworks.
• Renewed interest in the ZPCSA is driven by maritime security threats, such as piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and the discovery of high-value light oil and gas deposits off the coast of Brazil in 2012.
• South Africa is pursuing a 'blue economy' strategy through Operation Phakisa, launched on 15 July 2014, with the goal of achieving 5% GDP growth by 2019 by utilizing untapped maritime resources.
• Trade between South Africa and the South Atlantic countries of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay was $3.34 billion in 2013, representing a small fraction of South Africa's total trade, partly due to the production of similar commodities.
• The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) offers a diplomatic and cultural avenue for engagement, with six of its nine member states overlapping with the South Atlantic Zone.

APA

Lalbahadur, A., Grobbelaar, N., & du Plessis, R. (2015). Co-operation in the South Atlantic Zone: Amplifying the African Agenda. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Policy-Insights-21.pdf

Chicago

Lalbahadur, Aditi, Neuma Grobbelaar, and Rudolf du Plessis. Co-operation in the South Atlantic Zone: Amplifying the African Agenda. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2015. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Policy-Insights-21.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lalbahadur |first1=Aditi |last2=Grobbelaar |first2=Neuma |last3=du Plessis |first3=Rudolf |title=Co-operation in the South Atlantic Zone: Amplifying the African Agenda |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=21 July 2015 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Policy-Insights-21.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lalbahadur2015cooperation, author = {Lalbahadur, Aditi and Grobbelaar, Neuma and du Plessis, Rudolf}, title = {{Co-operation in the South Atlantic Zone: Amplifying the African Agenda}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2015}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Policy-Insights-21.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }