Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: After being sidelined for a number of years, South Africa finds itself
readmitted to the international community. One of the many issues at stake
now is the reform of the United Nations Security Council. This study looks at
South Africa's aim to make substantial changes in the international system,
with the Security Council being one of the target institutions. This is a
mammoth task for South Africa and the study points out the challenges that
go with engaging in this process.
The study points out an element of ambiguity in South Africa's foreign policy
and the challenges that go with making multilateralism a cornerstone of such
a policy. While it is not yet clear as to whether South Africa will succeed in
changing the behaviour of states and the practice of multilateral institutions, it
is at the moment participating in debates that might lead to such changes.
South Africa's participation in the Open Ended Working Committee on the
reform of the United Nations Security Council constitutes one move among
others to ensure a change in the practice of the Security Council.
The limits of making multilateralism a cornerstone of foreign policy are
outlined with the aim of making policy-makers aware of the implications of
the broad scope of their ambiguous foreign policy. While it is necessary to
avoid engaging in assignments that might be difficult to manage, the need for
South Africa to focus only on what is achievable and not to try and punch
above its weight is one aspect this paper emphasises. The paper ends by
making recommendations, which include (among others) that South Africa
should attempt to secure a seat in the reformed Security Council should such
an opportunity arise, but only after a careful consideration of her abilities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Na jare van politieke isolasie is Suid-Afrika weer 'n volwaardige lid van die
internasionale gemeenskap. Die hervorming van die Verenigde Nasies (VN)
se Veiligheidsraad, het binne die konteks van buitelandse beleid, een van die
land se vernaamste uitdagings geword. Hierdie studie plaas Suid-Afrika se
hervormingspogings van die internasionale stelselonder die soeklig, en fokus
veralop die rol van die VN Veiligheidsraad. Die omvang van dié proses kan
nie onderskat word nie, en die studie poog om die vernaamste uitdagings van
hierdie hervormings te identifiseer.
Die opdrag poog om te wys op 'n mate van teenstrydigheid wat in Suid-
Afrika se buitelandse beleid te bespeur is, asook die uitdagings verbonde aan
die vestiging van multilaterale betrekkinge as hoeksteen van sodanige beleid.
Hoewel daar nog nie duidelikheid bestaan oor die mate van sukses wat die
land behaal het met betrekking tot die gedrag van state en die praktyk van
multilaterale betrekkinge nie, neem dit tans deel aan debate wat mag lei tot
beleidsverandering in hierdie velde. Suid-Afrika se deelname aan die VN
Veiligheidraad se Ope Werkskonunittees, rakende die hervorming van
hierdie liggaam, is een voorbeeld van die land se verbintenis tot die
verandering van Veiligheidsraad praktyke.
Die beperkings rakende mulilaterale betrekkinge, 'n steunpilaar van
internasionale beleid, word uitgelig ten einde beleidsmakers bewus te maak
van die omvattende aard van 'n dikwels, onduidelike, buitelandse beleid. Die
opdrag benadruk die feit dat Suid-Afrika sal moet poog om slegs betrokke te
raak in internasionale aksies wat binne sy vermoëns val. Dit word afgesluit
met 'n aantal aanbevelings. Een hiervan is 'n pleidooi dat Suid-Afrika
permanente lidmaatskap van die 'n hervormde Veiligheidsraad verkry indien
die geleentheid dit voordoen. Sodanige deelname kan egter eers geskied na
deeglike oorweging van die land se vermoës binne hierdie sfeer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52457 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Ntshabele, Clement Thapedi |
| Contributors | Nel, Philip, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 104 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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