Promoting African Interests: An Analysis of South Africa's Foreign Policy Implementation on the African Continent

Abstract

This paper is a comprehensive analysis of South Africa's foreign policy implementation on the African continent. By examining the country's strategic foreign policy pillars, including national interests, the African agenda, South-South cooperation, and multilateralism, this study investigates how South Africa's foreign policy priorities are translated into concrete actions and outcomes in Africa. The paper employs a qualitative research approach, combining document analysis and expert interviews to provide a nuanced understanding of South Africa's foreign policy implementation on the continent. The findings highlight the complexities and challenges of promoting African interests through foreign policy and shed light on the opportunities and constraints that shape South Africa's role as a regional leader. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of South Africa's foreign policy and its implications for African regionalism and global governance. This analysis examines South Africa's national interest framework by arguing that foreign policy decision-making has become more centralized but has not led to a unified understanding of the national interest. Instead, various perspectives are included, highlighting the complexities involved in defining what the national interest entails. The study's findings have significant implications for policymakers, scholars, and practitioners seeking to promote African interests and enhance regional cooperation on the continent. By examining the intricacies of South Africa's foreign policy implementation, this research provides valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges of promoting African interests in the 21st century. This paper will be guided by theories such as realism and critical review theory. These theories will assist the researcher to unpack the analysis of South Africa’s foreign policy before and after the apartheid regime in South Africa.