South Africa's foreign policy decision making in African crises : the cases of Côte d'Ivoire and Libya.

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2014-09-09

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Mabalane, Obakeng Kabelo

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Abstract

ABSTRACT The study has examined South Africa’s foreign policy decision making in African crises. It focuses particularly on Côte d’Ivoire and Libya and seeks to understand how foreign policy decisions were made in respect of the two case studies. International Relations theory on foreign policy gives a lens in which we can analyse decision making, this paper lays its foundation on Graham Allison’s three models – rational actor, organisational behaviour and government politics models. The two cases are analysed using the Allison’s three models and provide understanding on South Africa’s foreign policy response to the crises. The study is qualitative in nature and interviews were conducted with foreign policy academic experts and DIRCO officials to collect primary data. Secondary data was collected through analysis of books, documentation and journals for the literature and the case studies. In conclusion, the paper argues that there is a range of actors in South Africa’s decision making matrix, all of which seek to advance their own interests. As a result there are bargaining games that are played by these actors and that influences the decision making process. The decision making process in this context is not defined, formalised nor structured. In such a policy environment, the governmental politics model therefore assists in explaining South Africa’s foreign policy decision making in African crises.

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MM 2013

Keywords

Conflict management,Foreign relations..

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