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South Africa's Foreign Policy: National Interest Versus

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South Africa's Foreign Policy: National Interest Versus Professor Edelgard Mahant holds a PHD in International Relations with specialization in international relations and comparative politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her interest in international relations stems from the fact that she was born into the European maelstrom during World War II. Her books include Number 19 Birthmarks of Europe, a study of the origins of the European Union (2004) and Invisible and Inaudible in Washington (co-authored with SOUTH AFRICA’S FOREIGN POLICY: Graeme Mount in 1999) which is a study of American policies towards NATIONAL INTEREST VERSUS Canada. Her current research interests include a general book on foreign policy, a project she has dreamt of for years. NATIONAL IDENTITY Professor Edelgard Mahant has taught at the following institutions: Laurentian University in Northern Ontario (1969-1990), where she progressed through the INAUGURAL LECTURE ranks to become Full Professor; York University in Toronto, Canada (1990-2007); Baptist University in Hong Kong; and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Rennes, France which has an exchange agreement with the University of Botswana. She has been with the University of Botswana since BY 2008. Edelgard Mahant 21 March 2012 Centre for Continuing Education Centre for Continuing Education, University of Botswana ISBN: 978 99912 485 8 5 SOUTH AFRICA’S FOREIGN POLICY: NATIONAL INTEREST VERSUS NATIONAL IDENTITY INAUGURAL LECTURE BY EDELGARD MAHANT WITH SARA COSTA University of Botswana 21st March 2012 Mahant, Edelgard with Costa, Sara. South Africa’s Foreign Policy: st National Interest Versus National Identity, 21 March 2012, Gaborone, Centre for Continuing Education Keywords: South Africa/foreign policy/democratic/constructivism/Mandela/Mbeki/African Production Team: M. E. Masendu Editor T. Motswetla Desktop Publisher N. Matome-Harun Graphic Designer Copyright © Centre for Continuing Education, University of Botswana ISBN: 978 99912 485 8 5 ii Preface to the Professorial Inaugural Lecture Series Professorial inaugural lectures are part of our engagement strategy and outreach service as they afford the University through its professors an opportunity to share the knowledge and experience cultivated over time with the general public. They also serve as an inspiration to our younger colleagues who are still working their way up the academic ladder. It is my conviction that the inaugural lectures series will continue to cater for our multiple needs and purposes as an institution and a nation. They act as a resource for students, lecturers and other practitioners. They also provide critical information for planning the institutional operations and the shape and scope that the academic discourse must take across the institution. The University of Botswana is proud that its Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) has taken over the initiative started in 1985 by the then National Institute for Research and continues to organise the lectures with untiring zeal. The purpose of this general introduction, therefore, is to attempt to invigorate this vibrant initiative and help to spur it to greater heights in an academic setting that is changing in line with the changing demands of the present day Botswana society which is making various demands on the University of Botswana. The professorial inaugural lecture series is therefore a unique response to the cry of our society whose members desire to be effective stakeholders and partners with the University of Botswana going forward. Professor Isaac Ncube Mazonde Director, Office of Research and Development iii Abstract When Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa, he announced that human rights would become the light which would guide South Africa’s foreign policy but, when he tried to implement such a policy, the newly democratic country found itself isolated among African states. When Mandela sought to impose sanctions on Nigeria after the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and nine other opposition leaders, no other African government would support him. Thabo Mbeki, who replaced Mandela in 1999, proudly proclaimed, “I am an African”. He sought to work with other African governments, no matter how unsavoury their democratic credentials. His government tried to mediate the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo and maintained good relations with Zimbabwe as that country slid into chaos. Most recently, the South African government has helped to prevent Sudan’s President Omar El-Bashir from being brought before the International Criminal Court. What caused such a rapid change in the foreign policy of a newly democratic country? Using the theoretical framework of constructivism, I argue that it was the desire of the Mbeki regime to make South Africa a leader among African states rather than the pursuit of strategic or economic interests that led to the change in policy. This is a good example of identity politics and the search for prestige! Key words South Africa/foreign policy/democratic/constructivism/Mandela/Mbeki/African iv INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTIONThis paper explores the inconsistencies that have characterized South African foreign policy since the end of apartheid in 1994 and tries to Thisexplain paper these explores inconsistencies the inconsistencies in terms that of havesome characterized of the theories South of Africaninternational foreign relations. policy since the end of apartheid in 1994 and tries to explain these inconsistencies in terms of some of the theories of internationalSouth Africa’s relations. constitution is one of the world’s most progressive in terms of human rights. Yet the country continues to perplex the SouthWestern Afr worldica’s constitutionand its democratic is one ofneighbour the world’s Botswana most progressive by a foreign in termspolicy thatof human all but ignoresrights. humanYet the rights country and continuessupports membersto perplex of the Westerninternational world community and its democratic whose human neighbour rights record Botswana is, at by a minimum,a foreign policyquestionable. that all butOn ignoresthe occasion human ofrights the andArchbishop supports Desmond members Tutu’sof the international80th birthday community celebrations, whose South human Africa rights delayed record the processingis, at a minimum, of the questionable.Dalai Lama’s visa,On theultimately occasion forcing of the the Archbishop exiled spiritual Desmond leader Tutu’sof the 80thTibetan birthday people celebrations, to cancel his South trip to Africa attend delayed the ceremony the processing (BBC, 2011).of the DalaiAt the Lama’sCommonwealth visa, ultimately Heads forcingof Government the exiled Meeting spiritual (2011) leader in Perth,of the TibetanAustralia, people South to cancelAfrica hisopposed trip to attendthe publication the ceremony of (BBC,the Eminent 2011). AtPersons’ the Commonwealth Group Report, Head whichs of would Government have made Meeting the (2011)Commonwealth in Perth, Australia,more effective South atAfrica preventing opposed human the publicationrights abuses of theamongst Eminent its Persons’members. Group Moreover, Report, as awhich member would of thehave UN made Security the CouncilCommonwealth (UNSC) morefrom 2007effective-2008, at South preventing Africa votedhuman against rights imposingabuses sanctionsamongst onits members.both Myanmar’s Moreover, military as a juntamember after of itthes violent UN Security response Council to peaceful(UNSC) fromdemonstrations, 2007-2008, andSouth on AfricaIran, whichvoted hasagainst repeatedly imposing violated sanctions nuclear on bothsafeguards Myanmar’s (Gruzd military 2009). junta South after Africa its violent also blockedresponse a tosubstantive peaceful demonstrations,debate on Zimbabwe, and on and Iran, is leadingwhich hasefforts repeatedly to have theviolated International nuclear safeguardsCriminal Court (Gruzd suspend 2009). theSouth prosecution Africa also of blockedOmar Ala -Bashir,substantive the debatepresident on of Zimbabwe, Sudan. It and maintains is leading close efforts ties towith have a number the International of states Criminalwhose human Court rights suspend record the is questionableprosecution andof Omar where Al democracy-Bashir, the is president of Sudan. It maintains close ties with a number of states 1 whose human rights record is questionable and where democracy is 1 remarkable for its absence: Cuba, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and remarkable for its absence: Cuba, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Morocco. How can we explain this apparently blatant disregard for the Morocco. How can we explain this apparently blatant disregard for the basic principles which supposedly guide the country’s foreign policy? basic principles which supposedly guide the country’s foreign policy? South Africa has come a long way in a short time. After the abolition of South Africa has come a long way in a short time. After the abolition of apartheid, which constituted one of the most egregious apartheid, which constituted one of the most egregious institutionalized system of human rights abuse since the Holocaust, institutionalized system of human rights abuse since the Holocaust, Nelson Mandela, proclaimed that “human rights will be the light that Nelson Mandela, proclaimed that “human rights will be the light that guides [South African] foreign policy” (Mandela, 1993). His guides [South African] foreign policy” (Mandela, 1993). His successors, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, have adopted an successors, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, have adopted an ambitious foreign policy agenda with a decidedly
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