Steps to de-risk South Africa's approach to global politics

The country has chosen strategic autonomy as its response to the complexity and instability of global affairs, but it doesn't have what it takes to navigate such a stance successfully.

- By Adam Habib and Imraan Valodia

South Africa finds itself in a dangerous historical moment. The world order is under threat from its own primary architect. The US wants to remain the premier global political power without taking on any of its responsibilities.

However, this dangerous moment also presents opportunities.

South Africa's response has been one of strategic autonomy. This involves taking independent and nonaligned 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 exploit the new possibilities.

Strategic autonomy is not the norm in global affairs. It is 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, it 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.

These countries have four necessary assets: global economic importance, leverage, bureaucratic capability, and political will and agency manifested in foreign policy cohesiveness and agility.