African Drivers Programme: Overview
African Drivers and South African Foreign Policy
In the first decade of the 21st century Africa still remains at the margins of the global economy and is home to the largest share of least developed states in the world. However, this decade has also seen the fastest economic growth since the boom period of the 1960s on the back of significant political reforms in the 1990s.
There is no doubt that Africa continues to face significant developmental, political and economic challenges. It is critical that the positive momentum is retained and supported, especially in those countries that play a key role in driving growth in their regions, thereby contributing to the overall stability and prosperity of their regions. These countries are described in the literature as so-called pivotal states, anchor countries, emerging powers and sometimes even as hegemonic players. All of these states could be regarded as "drivers" either in a positive or in a negative sense.
Our motivation to embark on an understanding of African Driver countries is underpinned by three key factors. The first is an understanding of the internal dynamics of important African players with a view to strengthening good governance, democracy and policymaking. The second is to analyse the role that these countries are playing in their respective regions, both negative and positive, with a view to strengthening regional stability and development on the continent. The third, and perhaps most critical factor, is the interface with South African foreign policymaking, i.e. to further bilateral cooperation between key African states and South Africa, as well as to explore the possibility of trilateral cooperation with third partners in support of continental objectives.
We distinguish between two categories of African Drivers. The first category is comprised of those African countries that have a fairly developed soft and hard infrastructure; a well-developed and fairly diversified economy; political stability; and project soft and hard power regionally and/or globally, i.e. they are playing a leadership role in their regions. South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria occupy positions among the 15 states counted by Germany's Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) as 'anchor countries'.[1] The second category of drivers are those countries which may not be entirely politically stable; may still have a commodity-dependent economy; may or may not play a regional role, but their well-being is critically important for regional development and progress, and may still be considered a least developed country (LDC). Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) fall into this group of countries.
We have identified eleven African countries in terms of their potential, clout (regionally) and rising influence globally. These countries are: Angola, Botswana, the DRC, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Our African Drivers programme seeks to provide a greater understanding of the intricacies underlying the socio-economic and political landscapes of these African countries. It seeks to assess the deficiencies and capabilities of these African states with a view to achieving the outcome of an African Renaissance.
The research by SAIIA focuses on deriving best practices across these country studies with special emphasis on the expression of domestic interests in foreign policy formulation and regional diplomacy.
[1] Germany's concept of anchor countries resonates with SAIIA's African Drivers programme. The BMZ defines anchor countries as those countries "that are economically and politically influential in their regions and playing an even larger role in shaping international relations". They are regarded as indispensable partners in addressing global challenges such as poverty reduction, peacekeeping, climate and environmental protection, creating a just global economy and establishing democracy and good governance.
Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. 2008. Anchor countries - indispensable partners for global development. Available from:
http://www.friedens-hilfe.de/en/countries/partnercountries/ankerlaender/index.html
(Accessed 18 July 2008)
With contribution from Charmaine Bezuidenhout.
