The issue of continuity and change in foreign-policy analysis is one that receives scant scholarly attention, and South Africa is no exception. Even though the country is now almost two decades past the transitional period, and a good 14 years since Nelson Mandela stepped down as the first democratically elected President of South Africa, important lessons could still be drawn from the foreign-policy trends of this era. The foreign policies of South Africa’s two governments during the transition, from 1989 to 1999, show features of both continuity and change, protestations to the contrary notwithstanding. Continuity and change often co-exist as a mixture or as dialectical opposites, making prediction of the future very uncertain. Continuity is often at play when it is least expected; and change can occur in the most unexpected of contexts.

No abstract

This essay examines the leading role adopted by the South African governments of Nelson Mandela, abo Mbeki, and Jacob Zuma to promote R2P between 1994 and 2010. In response to the sociopolitical oppression and devastation wrought by apartheid between 1948 and 1990, South African governments since 1994 have played an activist role in developing new norms in international affairs. Describing the South African posture on R2P as one of engagement and 'quiet diplomacy', the essay notes that the country has pushed for multilateral institutions to become the major repositories of the R2P norm. Within Africa, South Africa was instrumental in negotiating the continent's shift of position on the R2P norm from one of 'non-intervention' to one of 'non-indifference'. South Africa has also sought to implement R2P through political processes and negotiations rather than through sanctions and the use of force—an engagist stance that the country adopted during its controversial two years on the UN Security Council (2007–2008), contrary to the tougher approach recommended by powerful Western members of the Security Council. Emphasis is placed on the capacity constraints with which South Africa continues to struggle, as it seeks to operationalise its position on R2P.

No abstract

No abstract