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Abstract
With South Africa having declared itself a developmental state, this paper posits that if a developmental state is one that drives development, then the foreign policy of such a state should pursue development as one of its most important goals. Similarly the diplomatic corps of such a state should prioritise economic, commercial, para- and public diplomacy as drivers of diplomacy. In answering the question, ‘What should be the foreign policy and diplomatic attributes of a developmental state?’, the authors, through an exploratory approach, seek to analyse how well the state has fared in achieving this objective. To be a successful developmental state, a strategic capacity should exist and a clear strategic conception of the state's national interest should be formulated. Old paradigms about the role and functions of the diplomatic corps are challenged and a meritocratic diplomatic corps is strongly advocated to support the state's declared developmental goals.
Acknowledgements
This article is based on a paper delivered by the authors at the SAAPS Biennial Conference, UNISA, Pretoria, 10–11 September 2014.
Notes on contributors
Chris Landsberg is the SARChI Chair for African Diplomacy and Foreign Policy, University of Johannesburg.
Costa Georghiou is a lecturer in the Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Johannesburg.
Notes
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2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. The Japan Times, ‘How did Japan and Germany become global powerhouses after WWII?', 13 August 2015, http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/08/13/national/history/japan-germany-become-global-powerhouses-wwii/#.VlLiM9IrLIU
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12. Cf. The New York Times, ‘U.S. declares bank and auto bailouts over, and profitable', 19 December 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/20/business/us-signals-end-of-bailouts-of-automakers-and-wall-street.html?_r=0
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15. Ibid.
16. Ha-Joon Chang, ‘How to “do” a developmental state? Political, organisational, and human resource requirements for the developmental state’, Paper prepared for the conference on Constructing a Democratic Developmental State in South Africa – Potentials and Challenges, Cape Town, 2010, p. 1.
17. Ibid., p. 2.
18. See Landsberg C & R Smith, ‘South Africa's foreign policy for sale?’, The Thinker, 65, 2015, pp. 24–7.
19. Habib A, ‘Building the developmental state', The New Age, 24 June 2011.
20. Fiori A & RW Ronza, ‘Is the democratic developmental state possible? The debate on the state, development and democracy in South Africa and South Korea'. Paper delivered at SAAPS National Biennial Conference, Pretoria, UNISA, 10 September 2014.
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22. Ibid.
23. Ibid.
24. Ibid.
25. Address by the President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, State of the Nation Address, Joint Sitting of Parliament, 21 May 2004.
26. Minister Trevor Manuel, Minister of Finance, Budget Vote speech, National Assembly, Cape Town, 18 February 2004.
27. Ibid.
28. Thabo Mbeki, President of the ANC, ANC Today, 4.27, 26 November 2004.
29. The Presidency, Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF), Pretoria, September 2009.
30. See Mail and Guardian, ‘ANC backlash against the left’, 9–15 October 2009.
31. See also Burger P, ‘Facing the conundrum: How useful is the “Developmental State” concept in South Africa?’, South African Journal of Economics, 82, 2, 2013, p. 159.
32. Ibid.
33. Ibid.
34. Ibid.
35. African Peer Review Mechanism, Republic of South Africa, Country Review Report, No. 5, September 2007, p. 17.
36. Holsti KJ, International Politics, A Framework for Analysis, 7th edn. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice–Hall, 1995, p. 97.
37. Landsberg C, ‘Towards a developmental foreign policy? Challenges for South Africa's foreign policy in the second decade of liberation’, Social Research, Fall 2005, p. 4, http://findarticles/mi_m2267/is_3_72/ai_nl15922543/pg_6tag=mantle…
38. Ibid., p. 1.
39. Ibid.
40. Redden J & CG Makokera, ‘Aid for trade for boosting regional integration and development', SAIIA, 2014, p. 14. Regional Updates, 18 December 2014,
41. See Landsberg C, ‘The birth and evolution of NEPAD’, in Akokpari J, Ndinga-Muvumba & T Murithi (eds) The African Union and its Institutions, Johannesburg: Jacana, 2008, p. 208.
42. Georghiou CA, ‘Professional diplomacy: A call for its reinforcement’, Africa Insight, 42.4, March 2013, p. 68.
43. Ibid., p. 64.
44. Habib A, ‘Building the developmental state’, The New Age, 24 June 2011.
45. Ibid.
46. Centre for Southern African Studies and the International Studies Unit, ‘The changing world and professional diplomacy – a workshop report’, UWC and Rhodes University, Cape Town, 12–14 January 1993, p.41.
47. Ibid.
48. Berridge GR, Diplomacy: Theory and Practice, 3rd edn. Basingstoke: Palgrave, Macmillan, 2005, p. 27.
49. Evans PB, In Search of the 21st Century Developmental State. Centre for Global Political Economy, University of Sussex, Working Paper 4, December 2008, p. 16.
50. Ibid.
51. Ibid.
52. See e.g. Sunday Times, ‘Reputation stalks diplomats’, 15 November 2015.
53. Landsberg C, ‘South African foreign policy formulation, 1989–2010', in Venter A & C Landsberg (eds), Government and Politics in South Africa, 4th edn, Pretoria: Van Schaik, 2011, pp. 241–2.
54. Weiss L, The Myth of the Powerless State. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 1998, p. 50.
55. Evans PB, ‘Constructing the 21st Century Developmental state; Potentialities and Pitfalls’, New Agenda, 36, 2009, p. 11.
56. Weiss L, The Myth of the Powerless State. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 1998, p. 50.
57. NCOP, Question no 38 (CO73E), as appeared in internal Question Paper1-2014 of 11 March 2014, ‘Progress made by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation in addressing and resolving the lack of experienced, qualified and skilled staff within the department', http://www.dfa.gov.za/docs/2014pq/pq38ncop.html
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60. Melissen J (ed.), The New Public Diplomacy: Soft Power in International Relations. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.
61. Ibid.
62. Ibid.
63. Matjila J, ‘South Africa's foreign policy responds to domestic priorities', Ubuntu: Diplomacy in Action, 1, 2012, p. 42.
64. Ibid.
65. Ibid.