MARIANNE MERTEN: Expropriation brouhaha shows up SA’s security and foreign policy lacuna
Envoys will have work cut out as SA remains unclear on national interests
Away from the political noise, commentary such as “SA won’t be bullied” may make for lekker local headlines, but it carries no weight in global geopolitics. What is needed is clearly articulated national interests, including trade, national security and foreign policy.
Yet there is little sign of this from SA. The focus continues to fall on tinkering with the optics, like renaming the medium-term strategic framework the medium-term development plan. The international relations department’s 2022 framework document is essentially about peace, friendship and fairness. It talks about taking up “opportunities offered by the diplomacy of ubuntu” but is virtually silent on the realpolitik of values versus trade-offs. ..
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