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IBSA Regional Security Dimensions: The South African Perspective
Author: M. Soko
Date: 2007
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22 pages
(294 KB)
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Summary
In response to the high level of conflict and insecurity across the continent, African countries now seek to broaden the security issue by emphasising non-military security threats. However, this new paradigm poses the challenge of reconciling national sovereignty and non-interference with the more assertive security agenda championed by regional and sub-regional formations.
South Africa has played a pivotal role reshaping the continent’s security discourse. Its foreign policy supports pursuing peace and security across the continent, especially in the Southern African region. It emphasises working with other countries to fashion common solutions to inter- and intra-state conflicts and sees itself as a “natural” leader of the continent.The following analysis indicates that notwithstanding positive advances, South Africa’s leadership role in Southern Africa has not been an unqualified success:- The new security paradigm propounded by South Africa has been challenged by some states in the region, which refuse to accept South Africa as the guardian of their interests.
- Its efforts to mediate conflicts in other countries have been rebuffed, most notably by Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe.
- Its regional diplomacy focuses on pursuing regional unity, consensus building and multilateral solutions to conflicts and strengthening the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
- However, its regional security role has been hampered by SADC’s institutional deficiencies, which prevent it from effectively performing its security mandate.
- Its ambition to become a regional security guarantor has been constrained by the downward trend in its defence expenditures over the past decade.
- Political elites in many regional states express concern about the wisdom of the more assertive security agenda. While some favour greater engagement in the world outside their borders, others want the South African government to prioritise domestic socio-economic issues.
- contributing to common IBSA issues of inter- and intra-state conflict resolution, terrorism, peacekeeping and support for strategic defence needs;
- helping forge economic gains and spillovers, especially the transfer of skills and technology; and
- informing IBSA responses to HIV/AIDS, poverty and inequality.However, South Africa’s IBSA contribution requires it to address Southern African political and security dynamics. It must also be sensitive and responsive to regional concerns about IBSA’s driving a wedge between South Africa and Africa.
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Source:
Soko, M., 2007, 'IBSA Regional Security Dimensions: The South African Perspective', Policy: Issues and Actors, vol, 20, no. 6, Centre for Policy Studies, Johannesburg
Author:
Centre for Policy Studies, Johannesburg, http://www.cps.org.za/pol5.htm
