AFRICA - South Africa - Emerging Power or Fading Star?

especially as the leadership of the ruling In the first decade of the 21st century, African National Congress (ANC) continues a number of African states, referred to by to lose the moral high ground of the early McKinsey Global Institute as “lions on the post-apartheid era. [...] South There are, however, numerous examples Africa can put issues of broader interest to where the standing of particular negotiators the rest of the continent on the G20 agenda and senior officials has contributed to the and share information about changes that perception of the country’s capacity as an will result from decisions by the Group. [...] Internationally, the failure to arrest Bashir and the announcement of South The Bashir case and withdrawal from the Africa’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute ICC also highlight the intersection between have done great damage to the country’s politics and law. [...] The AU and Peace and Security in Africa Quiet diplomacy in Zimbabwe By 2007, the crisis in Zimbabwe was marked To promote peace and security, the Consti- by extreme levels of inflation and jobless- tutive Act of the AU established a framework ness, the absence of basic consumer goods, for a new and comprehensive continen- and the escalation of human right abuses tal peace and security architecture. [...] First is Article 4(h), which, consistent with the United Nations’ doctrine of the “respon- Although South Africa has been a key player in the sibility to protect”, authorises the Union to creation of the AU’s peace and security architecture, it intervene in member states “pursuant to a has sometimes taken positions in direct contradiction to decision of the Assembly in respect of grave it.