October 2011
South Africa: A Hamstrung Regional Power
ANC leader Jacob Zuma
On paper, South Africa meets all the criteria for taking on a regional hegemonial role in southern Africa: Economic power, political weight, military might, and moral authority. But because of an erratic foreign policy and a lack of regional acceptance, Pretoria is experiencing significant difficulties in playing the regional leadership role that the countries of the West expect of it and to which its own elites aspire. This contrasts with South Africa’s self-confident demeanor on the global stage.
© 2011 Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich
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Author:
Daniel Trachsler
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102
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