harmony and discord south african foreign policy

Harmony and DiscordSouth African Foreign Policy

“Composers, conductors and players”

SAIIAPresentation to the Parliamentary Portfolio

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Friday 15 October 2004

Idealism, personality, realism, and bureaucracy

• 1993 New FP thinking• Idealism,

internationalism, human rights

• Post-apartheid democracy dividend

• Global vision• African Renaissance• Policy formulation• Institutionalisation

Foreign policy actors – The Presidency

• Mbeki personality, background, experience, intellect

• Consolidation and expansion of Presidency

• Locus of FP power and policy within Presidency

Presidency and foreign policy

President

Presidency Cabinet ANC NEC

ANC IR Comm.IRPS clusterCabinet Office

PCAS

Deputy DG

Chief Director

IRPS

Actors - DFA

• Discontinuity• Transformation• Massive expansion of

activities• Lack of focus• Strategic plan to 2005• Implementation• Mixed picture

Foreign policy actors - ANC

• IR department• IR NEC Sub-

committee• Most NB for

institutional policy co-ordination

• Historical alliances• Socialist International• Regional fraternal ties

Foreign policy actors - parliament

• Vision of ’96• Stronger DFA

relationship• Oversight ?• Seldom considers

legislation• Clear role?• Deliberating on

‘tough’ issues?

Foreign policy actors - business

• Not uniform or united• Formal and informal

relationships with Presidency

• Closer to DTI & MEA than DFA

• Mixed relationship with SA missions

• Ambiguous - NEPAD• Concern - Zimbabwe

Foreign policy actors - unions

• International relations ILO etc

• African TU federations• ANC NEC• Globalisation• WTO• NEPAD• Zimbabwe• M.E.

Foreign policy actors – Think Tanks

• Expansion, better funding since ’94

• Better resources• Better role definition• Better govt

engagement• Need for structured

relation with PCFA• Need for FPC?

SA and conflict diamonds

• Threat to Africa devt.• Role of NGOs and

media• Role of business• Role of DFA• Kimberley Process• New international

diplomacy• Parliament?

SA and NEPAD

• SA and African recovery plans

• SA enhanced role• SA Presidency• SA, AU, & G8• DFA• Business, unions,

TT’s• Parliament?

SA and Zimbabwe

• Positions rather than policy

• Presidency• ANC, opposition• TT’s, media, churches• Unions• Business• Parliament?

SA - Middle EastEconomic diplomacy, human rights,

war and terror

SA Palestine - Israel

• Pre ’94 SA – Israel linkages

• Historic ANC – PLO fraternal ties

• Domestic constituencies

• Spier Initiative• DFA flux• Parliament

What you get when you search ‘Sharon’ in Google images

Broad recommendations

• Internal re-structuring of PCFA• Establish clear and regular linkages with

Presidency on FP/IR• Establish clear and regular linkages with

TTs• Convene public hearings on NB FP/IR

issues• Strengthen and regularise relations with

IR/FP committees in Africa and globally

PCFA

Chair

IR Sub Comm. Africa Sub Comm. Multilateral Sub Comm.

Regions Themes UN etc

EU, Asia, US, ME SADC, AU, PAP, NEPAD

Input into PCFA

DFADFA

Civ SocCiv Soc

TT’sTT’s

PresidencyPresidency

PCFAPCFA

The PCFA and Think Tanks

PCFA

Annual presentation Thematic presentations Research

Global overview

Regional overviews

UN reform

Peace and Security

Background docs

Ad hoc briefings

PCFA linkages

AfricaAfrica CommComm

Intl Intl

PCFAPCFA

Thank youQuestions, clarification, discussion