Executive Summary

Franco-South African dialogue: Sustainable security in Africa presents the proceedings of a seminar on Security in Africa: French and South African perspectives, jointly organised and hosted by the Institute for Global Dialogue (IGD), the Institut Français d’Afrique du Sud (IFAS) and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) on 18-19 April 2000 in Pretoria.

In his Opening address, Ambassador Tristan d’Albis emphasised the changing nature of international relations between countries, especially the changes evident in French involvement on the African continent. He underscored the importance of seminars such as this as examples of modern diplomacy. They are as much part of a strategic dialogue as the consultations of official structures. The deputy director-general of Defence, Mr WAWNhlapo, focused on the following points as essential ingredients in security partnership with Africa:

It should be African-driven with non-African co-operation/assistance tailored to African needs and programmes.



Training must comply with UN standards, but complement the continent’s needs and circumstances.



African capacity-building must enhance logistic and training capabilities to ensure that the continent become less dependent on foreign assistance.

In The South African national identity and its key postulates, Rocky Williams looks at the emerging national identity in the country and its implications for defence on a national, regional and international level. This identity rests essentially on:

respect for democracy and the promotion of human rights;



recognition of a common African-ness and the affirming of African potential;



recognition and protection of cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious diversity within the framework of a national constitution;



a normative commitment to justice, reason and tolerance towards others; and



a commitment to the constructive management of conflicts within South Africa and elsewhere.

The theoretical basis underlying security and development issues receives thorough attention in Theoretical approaches to security and development (Dr Lisa Thompson). She considers challenges to human security approaches in the analysis of the political economy of the Southern African region and point to tensions between theory derived from ‘new security’ and ‘critical human security’ studies. Her contribution is enhanced by an examination of French political culture and African policy: From consensus to dissensus (Prof Daniel Bourmaud). Prof Bourmaud traces the changes in French political attitude from a focus on Gaullist consensus, to what he calls ‘dissensus’, and points to the resulting changes in French policy towards involvement in Africa.

In the contribution on Human security, governance and development in Africa (Prof Maxi Schoeman), it is pointed out that the linkages between these issues should receive the attention of national, regional and international players. The central focus of good governance in human security, as well as in peacebuilding processes, is emphasised in the light of the crucial question: Who benefits? Adding a French economic perspective to this focus, Lasting security and development in Africa (Prof Philippe Hugon) considers the economic consequences of war and conflict, especially in terms of the insecurity of people and their possessions, as well as on economic growth. Food insecurity is used as a case study to highlight the plight of millions of people in Africa.

The practical lessons from several experiences with conflict, intervention, resolution and peacebuilding in Africa are presented in the contributions on Lesotho: Lessons and challenges after a SADC intervention, 1998 (Sehoai Santho); Peace promotion in the Great Lakes region: Regional and international responses to conflict in the DRC (Mark Malan); and The security imperatives of the crisis in West Africa: Preliminary thoughts (Dr Abubakar Momoh)

Turning the focus on potential solutions to the intractable conflicts on the continent, in Wanted — capacity to intervene: The evolution of conflict prevention and resolution in Africa (Anthoni van Nieuwkerk), the author presents a concise summary of global developments in conflict prevention and resolution measures. He calls for the introduction of ‘peace maintenance’ as an essential part of the resolution process. This reflective consideration is aptly offset by Efforts at conflict prevention and resolution: The French experience (Rear-Admiral Hervé Giraud), that presents the practical experiences of French military involvement in attempts to build a professional capacity for peace in Africa.

* The seminar drew a variety of delegates ranging from defence experts, academics, practitioners and other stakeholders. The organisers wish to thank them for their valuable contributions to the proceedings.