South Africa has chosen a risky approach to global politics: 3 steps it must take to succeed

📅 Published: August 15, 2025

📰 Source: theconversation

Curated by AllZimNews.com

This dangerous moment also presents opportunities.

South Africa’s response has been one of strategic autonomy.

This involves taking independent and non-aligned positions on global affairs, to navigate between competing world powers.

But South African policymakers lack the political acumen and bureaucratic ability required to navigate this complex global order and to exploit the new possibilities.

Strategic autonomy is not the norm in global affairs.

It is very rare for small countries to succeed at it without at least some costs.

Drawing from our expertise – as a political scientist and an economist working on the international economy – we conclude that if South Africa is to succeed in its strategic autonomy ambitions the country must do three things.

First, its economic and foreign policy priority must be the African continent.

Second, it must pursue bureaucratic excellence, especially in its diplomatic and security apparatus.

Third, it must prepare for reprisals that are likely to follow its choice of an independent path to global affairs.

Strategic autonomy A handful of countries have been able to pursue strategic autonomy in navigating the international system.

They include Brazil, India and the Republic of Ireland.