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South Africa Issue 1 January 2017 AFRICA South Africa Emerging Power or Fading Star? This edition of Perspectives Africa is published jointly by the offices of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung in sub-Saharan Africa. ABUJA NAIROBI CAPE TOWN Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung The Heinrich Böll Foundation is a publicly funded institution that is affiliated with but intellectually independent from the German Green party. From our headquarters in Berlin and 30 overseas offices, we promote civic participation in Germany, as well as in more than 60 countries worldwide. Our work in Africa concentrates on promoting civil society, democratic structures, gender democracy and global justice. Together with our partners, we work toward conflict prevention and search for solutions to the challenges of environmental degradation and the depletion of resources. To achieve these goals, we rely on disseminating information, creating a deeper understanding between actors in Africa and Europe, and supporting global dialogue. Contents 4 Editorial 6 Emerging Powers, Clubs and Equality Elizabeth Sidiropoulos 10 South Africa on the Global Stage: Between Great Expectations and Capacity Constraints Philani Mthembu 14 Still a Champion? South Africa’s Economic Diplomacy Catherine Grant Makokera 27 Interview South Africa’s Status as a Regional Power: A Nigerian Perspective Victor A.O. Adetula 18 Prioritising Justice and Accountability in South Africa: The Al-Bashir Saga Angela Mudukuti 21 A Fading Peacemaker? The “Dark” Side of South Africa’s Contribution to Peace, Security and Governance in Africa John Akokpari 5 Editorial South Africa, 2006. The country’s GDP on behalf of the continent in global fora is growth rate stands at 5.6 percent, the high- increasingly contested. And although South est since the first democratic elections in Africa was granted a second stint at the UN 1994. After supporting the transformation Security Council in 2011–2012, its aspira- of the Organisation of African Unity into the tion to become a permanent member has African Union at the beginning of the millen- been challenged in its own region. While nium, President Thabo Mbeki’s vision of an President Jacob Zuma’s administration “African renaissance” of peace, stability and managed to gain access to the Brazil, Russia, development is glowing with vitality. In July, India and China (BRIC) Forum in 2010, and the Democratic Republic of Congo holds its it remains the only African country repre- first multiparty elections in 41 years, follow- sented in the G20, South Africa’s foreign pol- ing a peace deal that Pretoria helped to bro- icy seems to lack any coherent strategy. The ker in 2002. In September, the India, Brazil country is consumed by its domestic poli- and South Africa (IBSA) Dialogue Forum tics, which are mired in corruption scan- meets for the first time in Brasilia. A month dals, institutional erosion and increasing later, South Africa is elected non-permanent public unrest. As a result, the international member to the United Nations (UN) Secu- moral and democratic legitimacy that South rity Council (2007–2008), with 186 out of 192 Africa enjoyed following the transition from votes. Given its economic prowess, regional apartheid is waning, and its long-term sta- influence and international aspirations, bility is in danger. In short, South Africa’s South Africa cements its role in the world as star looks to be fading. an “emerging power” and the most influen- Both of these snapshots are, of course, tial player in Africa. incomplete and deliberately polarised. None- Fast-forward ten years. Although Africa theless, as the international terrain begins to has experienced a decade of rapid economic change, so have perceptions of South Africa. growth, the expectation that the continent’s Informed by the discussions at an interna- most sophisticated economy would remain tional conference jointly organised by the its most prominent has not been fulfilled. German Development Institute, the Hein- Instead, fast-growing African economies rich Böll Foundation and Stanford University like Ethiopia and Kenya have begun to take on “Emerging Power or Fading Star? South the limelight. Once by far the largest Afri- Africa’s Role on the Continent and Beyond”, can economy, South Africa now changes held 12–14 July 2016 in Cape Town, the arti- ranks with Nigeria and Egypt, depending cles gathered in this edition of Perspectives on the current valuation of their currencies shed light on some of the nuances and chal- against the US dollar. In 2016, South Africa’s lenges that define South Africa’s place in the economic growth is close to zero and Stand- world today. ard and Poor’s sovereign risk rating puts the country just one notch above sub-investment Jochen Luckscheiter grade – so-called “junk status” – with many Programme Manager economists expecting a downgrade in 2017. Heinrich Böll Foundation While the current commodity price downturn has put a damper on Africa’s Stephan Klingebiel growth prospects, the international com- Head of Department munity’s belief that South Africa can speak German Development Institute 6 Emerging Powers, Clubs and Equality Emerging Powers, Clubs and Equality Elizabeth Sidiropoulos For many years now, debate around new “emerging powers” in the developing world has focused on blocs with colourful greater voice in the international acronyms that range from construction arena soft power through their history, in- material (BRIC – Brazil, Russia, India stitutions and political and economic and China) to herbs (MINT – Mexico, In- success. donesia, Nigeria and Turkey) and insects (TICK – Taiwan, India, China and Korea). South Africa, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Angola and possibly Algeria or Egypt might The BRIC acronym was a creation of Gold- qualify, each having played an important man Sachs, a member of the investment- role in support of continental or regional banking sector that is so enamoured with institutions or conflict resolution initiatives. the idea of “emerging markets”. The bank’s They have displayed leadership by putting Jim O’Neill coined it, thinking that “the resources into what might be considered global economy in the coming decades regional public goods. would be propelled by the growth of four However, their resources are more lim- populous and economically ambitious ited than emerging powers elsewhere in countries”1. Goldman Sachs was not sug- the world, as is their voice when compared gesting that these countries would neces- to a China, an India or a Turkey. Many of sarily act in concert as a coherent force in these African regional powers face signifi- global politics – or economics, for that mat- cant domestic political and economic chal- ter – but it did argue that future global eco- lenges, while the security of others is being nomic governance would not be effective undermined by violent extremism. In South without them. With the establishment of the Africa, persistently high levels of unemploy- BRIC Forum in 2009, the group graduated ment and inequality have been exacerbated to greater political and diplomatic signifi- by significant attempts from within the rul- cance, often seen as standing in opposition ing elite to undermine and weaken the con- to the established Western powers, albeit stitutional foundations of the state. still nascent in its impact. With the exception of South Africa and (sometimes) Nigeria, African countries are Club Governance: Effective- not counted as “emerging powers”. Indeed, ness and Legitimacy Elizabeth Sidiropoulos is the with their small markets, limited purchasing chief executive of the South power and persistent internal and cross- The constant challenge in broadly inclusive African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), an independent border instability, many African states have multilateral forums like the World Trade foreign policy think tank based in very limited influence on the global agenda Organisation (WTO), the United Nations Johannesburg. She serves on the and economy. However, some countries in or even the African Union is that consensus World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Future Council on the Fu- Africa can be regarded as regional powers necessitates adopting the lowest common ture of Regional Governance. Her on the basis of such criteria as denominator. In contrast, “club” govern- research focus is South Africa’s significant economic and market ance – whereby members of a club come to foreign policy, global governance and the role of emerging powers growth agreement on key decisions concerning a in Africa. leadership in the region global or regional public good – can facili- Emerging Powers, Clubs and Equality 7 tate leadership by example. Still, it does not munity to the creation of the Eurozone. BRICS leaders on the sidelines of mean that everybody is on board simply Effective club governance requires the 2016 G20 Summit in China. Author: Kremlin.ru (Creative Commons because the bigger countries have said so. members that are indispensable to the sys- 3.0) Furthermore, club governance (especially in tem, whether regional or global. While the the G20) has not been as effective since its complexity of the world today has intro- initial successes after the 2008–09 financial duced many more variables into the power crisis. Agreements on key global economic equation, the exclusion of systemically public goods among the 20 members have important states usually means policy or been fraught, and often honoured more by implementation paralysis. The inability or omission. unwillingness of formal global governance
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