“The shackled continent” - that is Robert Guest’s chosen title for his book
about decades of failure on the African soil (Guest 2004). And indeed, Africa
suffered from years of economic crisis, political violence and genocides, food
shortages and nature catastrophes. Many people have lost their hopes in
Africa but there is still a chance for a bright future of the indigenous continent.
No, there is no easy solution for Africa, but there are several ways how to
improve Africa’s situation. One way out of the misery is the concept of
regional integration. Based on the perception that African nation states can’t
compete with global players in a networked world, regionalism offers the
power of the many. For Africa, whose economically strongest nation state
South Africa is not even producing 0,5% of the worldwide GDP (Notshulwana
2004: 58), regionalism seems to be a chance out of poverty. But the
conditions need to be created in terms of stable democracies, qualified
leadership and guaranteed rights in every single state.
In this assignment I will analyse the role of the big player South Africa on the
continent as well as within the Southern African Development Community
(SADC) guided by the question: Which role does South Africa play in Africa?
In the beginning I will have a look at the process of regional integration in
southern Africa in the light of regionalism all over Africa. It will be surveyed
what goals are formulated for SADC and which progress was make up till
now. The foreign policy of Post-Apartheid South Africa will be broached in
chapter two. I will further analyse South Africa’s guidelines towards the
SADC and investigate which role the rainbow nation normatively wants to
play in Africa. Equipped with basic knowledge about the institution SADC and
South Africa I will then make my points on the core issue of this paper: Does
South Africa got the resources to act as a hegemon on the continent like the
United States in America? Is the government willing to play that role or are
the pretensions different? In chapter 3 I will work out South Africa’s
hegemonic tendencies and compare them in chapter 4 with the power term
Zivilmacht. Both chapters will first focus on southern Africa and then broaden
the view on the whole continent. The conclusion will contain an evaluation –
South Africa’s status quo: a hegemon or Zivilmacht?
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- The regional integration in Southern Africa
- The foreign policy of South Africa since 1994
- SADCC / SADC
- Africa
- South Africa as a Hegemon?
- In the SADC zone
- On the African continent
- South Africa as a “Zivilmacht\"?
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The aim of this assignment is to analyze the role of South Africa in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and on the African continent. The author investigates whether South Africa has the resources and willingness to act as a hegemon, similar to the United States in America, or if its ambitions are different. The paper explores South Africa's foreign policy, its regional integration efforts, and its potential for leadership within the SADC and on a wider African scale.
- Regional integration in Southern Africa
- Foreign policy of South Africa since 1994
- South Africa's hegemonic tendencies
- South Africa as a "Zivilmacht"
- The role of South Africa in Africa
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The first chapter examines the process of regional integration in southern Africa, highlighting the history of cooperation, the goals of the SADC, and the challenges to achieving integration. The second chapter delves into the foreign policy of post-apartheid South Africa, outlining the principles that guide its international relations and its approach to regional cooperation. The third chapter explores whether South Africa has the potential to act as a hegemon in the region and on the continent, analyzing its resources, ambitions, and potential limitations.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper focuses on the themes of regional integration, foreign policy, hegemony, and "Zivilmacht" within the context of Southern Africa and the broader African continent. It examines the role of South Africa as a key player in these areas, exploring its influence, ambitions, and challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is South Africa's role within the SADC?
South Africa is the economically strongest nation in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and acts as a key driver for regional integration and political stability.
Can South Africa be considered a hegemon in Africa?
The assignment analyzes whether South Africa has the resources and willingness to act as a regional hegemon, similar to the US in America, or if its role is more aligned with being a "Zivilmacht" (civilian power).
How has South African foreign policy changed since 1994?
Since the end of apartheid, South Africa has shifted towards a policy of regional cooperation, peace-building, and active participation in continental institutions like the African Union.
What is the concept of "Zivilmacht" in this context?
A "Zivilmacht" refers to a state that uses multilateralism, international law, and economic cooperation rather than military force to achieve its foreign policy goals.
Why is regional integration important for Africa?
Regionalism offers the "power of the many," allowing African states to compete better with global players and address issues like poverty and economic crisis collectively.
- Quote paper
- Florian Pretz (Author), 2008, Which role does South Africa play in Africa?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/113400
