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Download - LSE Theses Online - London School of Economics and ...

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identity changed as the challenges increased”. 339 Ideologically, any identificationwith the developing world was not compatible with the National Party’s policies <strong>of</strong>racial segregation at home. Nonetheless, South Africa did seek to foster relationswith certain developing countries – African countries in particular - including some<strong>of</strong> its regional neighbours such as Botswana, Lesotho <strong>and</strong> Malawi, in order to shoreup its diplomatic support in the UN, <strong>and</strong> on the continent. Some countries thatmaintained relations with South Africa included Ivory Coast <strong>and</strong> Israel. SouthAfrica was regarded as a ‘pariah’ state in the developing world, however, <strong>and</strong> so wasnot in the position to claim any solidarity with it. Besides, under the National Partygovernment, the Party identified with the West <strong>and</strong> saw itself as the ‘last bastion <strong>of</strong>Western civilisation’ in Africa. The various National Party governments did perceivea unified fate with Africa, however. This was entwined, at times, with the future <strong>of</strong>the Portuguese colonies to the east (Mozambique) <strong>and</strong> west (Angola); <strong>and</strong>, in abroader <strong>and</strong> more pertinent sense, in the economic prospects represented by Africaas a market for South African commerce. This position had been formalised byPrime Minister BJ Vorster’s ‘outward movement’ pro-Africa foreign policy,launched in 1966. 340 Indeed, as noted by Vale <strong>and</strong> Maseko, underlining the argumentadvanced here,“The notion that their presence should feature in African affairs seems to…havebeen a constant thread in the rhetoric <strong>of</strong> successive South African leaders, irrespective <strong>of</strong>colour or ideological hue”. 341From 1980 onward the country was active in a policy <strong>of</strong> ‘destabilisation’ <strong>of</strong> itsneighbours in Southern Africa, turning increasingly to “force rather th<strong>and</strong>iplomacy” 342 to quell the threat posed by the ANC in exile. The latter was hostedby Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, <strong>and</strong> Zimbabwe, among others. South Africawas also involved in military operations in Angola <strong>and</strong> South West Africa. SouthAfrica illegally retained South West Africa after World War II, despite anInternational Court <strong>of</strong> Justice advisory opinion <strong>and</strong> General Assembly resolution339 James Barber <strong>and</strong> John Barrat, South Africa’s foreign policy: The search for status<strong>and</strong> security 1945-1988 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990): 1.340 The aims <strong>of</strong> ‘outward movement’ were to diversify diplomatic <strong>and</strong> trade links, but thiswas not limited to Africa. Africa formed the focus <strong>of</strong> the policy, however, where the goalswere to promote peace <strong>and</strong> mutual interests, while refraining from interference indomestic affairs. See Barber <strong>and</strong> Barratt, Search for Status <strong>and</strong> Security, 125.341 Peter Vale <strong>and</strong> Sipho Maseko, “South Africa <strong>and</strong> the African Renaissance”,International Affairs, 74, No. 2 (1998): 274.342 Barber <strong>and</strong> Barratt, Search for Status <strong>and</strong> Security, 11.150

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