Fourteen years have passed since the apartheid regime fell and South Africa’s international isolation was brought to an end. As Africa’s largest economy and most significant military force, the country has an important role to play on the beleaguered continent, while its transition to a democratic, all-inclusive state offers lessons for those pursuing peace and reconciliation in conflict zones everywhere.

Furthermore, the IBSA alliance, which sees it joining forces with India and Brazil, may have profound implications for the international political landscape.

Over the past decade, a tension between pragmatism and principles has been at the core of South Africa’s foreign policy, however. The country can be regarded as increasingly driven by realpolitik considerations.

Indeed, as the new South Africa has become more experienced in the cut-and-thrust of global politics, its approach to a number of issues has changed to reflect a growing appreciation of the importance of power and the impact that this has.

Much of South Africa’s foreign policy is still driven by its values, though. This can be seen in the attention it gives to systemic inequality or global apartheid, where the weak are at the mercy of the strong who have created the current international system. Thus, South Africa believes that attempting to counter the global system’s skewed nature must be a crucial element of its foreign policy.

In this Comment the author analyses the country’s efforts to promote peace and security on the continent and contribute to an African renaissance. She also considers its hopes and aspirations for the future, and the way these relate to the very real challenges it still faces at the national, regional and global levels.