“This paper examines South Africa’s
engagement in the AU, both broadly and more specifically in terms of PCRD and peacebuilding. It draws on desktop and field research to make observations about South Africa’s engagements to date. During March 2014, ISS carried out field research in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to gain insights into South Africa’s engagements in the AU. This paper starts by addressing what South Africa sets out to do in terms of its White Paper on Foreign Policy on PCRD and peacebuilding in the AU. It gives an overview of South Africa’s engagements in the AU from 1994 to date. Principles for the country’s international engagements. Furthermore, the primacy of the African continent and the South African Development Community (SADC)
is cited as an integral element of its
policy. On South Africa’s engagements with the AU, the White Paper commits to a) intensifying its engagements with the AU, b) advocating for the role of the AU as the primary organisation for coordinating continental positions with development partners and c)advancing common African positions through bilateral activities and other international fora.”
