Gold star or bottom of the class: Is South Africa a good international citizen?

When, on 23 June 1994, Deputy President Thabo Mbeki announced South Africa�s new foreign policy goal at the United Nations as its commitment to being a good citizen of the world, the concept of being a good international citizen (GIC) had been floating on the international seas since 1989. Over 13 years later, how has South Africa played its international role, especially since winning a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2006? South Africa is a young, flawed democracy. It has a great deal of moral authority internationally; it is an emerging middle power in the Global South; and it is a true leader on the African continent and the hegemon in the Southern African region. But is it a good international citizen