Berlin Global Advisors Managing Partner Martin Wiesmann examines in his guest article for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) how South Africa seeks to reconcile its historical legacy, economic interests and pursuit of strategic autonomy in an increasingly fragmented international order.

Shaped by the struggle against apartheid and the tradition of non-alignment, South Africa has long sought to preserve its foreign policy independence. Its engagement within BRICS further reflects Pretoria’s ambition to position itself as an independent actor among the major centres of power without committing exclusively to any one side.

Yet this foreign policy approach faces growing economic constraints. Sluggish growth, high unemployment and the need for international capital are putting increasing pressure on the South African government to balance geopolitical ambitions with economic pragmatism. While South Africa deepens its relationships with China and other BRICS partners, Europe and other Western markets remain essential trading and investment partners.

South Africa thus raises a central question of our series: How much strategic autonomy can a country retain when historical political convictions, economic dependencies and great-power competition simultaneously constrain its foreign policy choices?

Read Martin Wiesmann’s full guest article in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung here: FAZ – South Africa Asserts Itself as a Post-Revolutionary Middle Power

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