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Informationen zum Autor John Siko , based in Dubai, is a director of Burnham Global, a security consultancy. He previously spent 15 years in the US Government, entirely focused on African political, economic and security issues. This included long-term postings in Africa. Siko has taught courses on African security and politics at Georgetown University and George Washington University and is the author of Inside South Africa’s Foreign Policy: Diplomacy in Africa from Smuts to Mbeki (IB Tauris, 2014). Siko has a doctorate in African politics from the University of South Africa. Klappentext South Africa is still the major-player in African diplomacy, its military resources far outstripping those of other nations on the continent. It also has traditionally taken the lead role in Africa's united negotiations with other power blocs. Yet the recent consensus has been that South Africa's diplomacy over the last decades has been a disappointing failure-from appearing to back the controversial Mugabe regime to accusations that it is failing to utilize its position to encourage Chinese investment. John Siko has had insider access to the corridors of power in South Africa, and, with access to the major political players, charts the inability of South Africa to develop a coherent policy over the last four decades. In particular, he reveals the tight grip Mbeki has over foreign policy, to the detriment of SA's standing in the world, and argues South Africa's isolationist style of policy making has not changed enough after Mandela's election in 1994. Vorwort The inside account of South Africa’s foreign policy and its failures Zusammenfassung South Africa is still the major-player in African diplomacy, its military resources far outstripping those of other nations on the continent. It also has traditionally taken the lead role in Africa's united negotiations with other power blocs. Yet the recent consensus has been that South Africa's diplomacy over the last decades has been a disappointing failure-from appearing to back the controversial Mugabe regime to accusations that it is failing to utilize its position to encourage Chinese investment. John Siko has had insider access to the corridors of power in South Africa, and, with access to the major political players, charts the inability of South Africa to develop a coherent policy over the last four decades. In particular, he reveals the tight grip Mbeki has over foreign policy, to the detriment of SA's standing in the world, and argues South Africa's isolationist style of policy making has not changed enough after Mandela's election in 1994. Inhaltsverzeichnis Chapter 1: Understanding South African Foreign Policymaking 7Chapter 2: A Brief History of South African Foreign Policy 15Chapter 3: Public Opinion and Pressure Groups 34Chapter 4: The Press 48Chapter 5: Academia 61Chapter 6: Business 87Chapter 7: Parliament 102Chapter 8: Ruling Parties 115Chapter 9: Government Departments 126 Chapter 10: The Prime Minister and President 143 Chapter 11: Conclusion—Room, But Not Willingness, for Engagement 158Bibliography 162Appendix: List of Interviews 186Endnotes...
