Factors Affecting Post-Apartheid South African Foreign Policy: South Africa-Türkiye Relations

Öz

Foreign policy and decision-making approaches in international relations are closely related issues. Decision-making approaches serve as an important lens in understanding the background of foreign policy decisions. This study explains the foreign policy of the Republic of South Africa after the apartheid regime, which was officially overthrown in 1994, and South Africa’s relations with Türkiye through leaders, state and non-state institutions, using Graham Allison’s decision-making models. For South Africa, Türkiye has the largest trade volume among Central and Eastern European countries. Türkiye did not establish diplomatic relations with South Africa until the end of apartheid practices based on racial discrimination. However, after the collapse of the apartheid-based regime in South Africa, relations between the two countries could not be brought to the desired level. This article analyses the factors that have affected post-Apartheid South African policy, and more specifically, how these factors affected the post-Apartheid South Africa-Türkiye relations, in the context of Allison’s foreign policy decision-making models. The study adopted a qualitative research method and utilized the statements of official institutions as well as published documents, reports and news articles. The main research question of this study is how South African decision-makers make decisions regarding foreign policy and how these decisions are reflected in relations with Türkiye. In addition, this research examines the active actors in South African foreign policy and the impact of these actors on relations with Türkiye.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• South African Foreign Policy
• Decision-making Models
• South Africa-Turkey Relations
• Africa
• Foreign Policy Analysis

Apartheid Sonrası Güney Afrika Dış Politikasını Etkileyen Faktörler: Güney Afrika-Türkiye İlişkileri

Öz

Uluslararası ilişkilerde dış politika ve karar verme yaklaşımları birbirleri ile yakından ilişkili konulardır. Karar verme yaklaşımları, dış politika kararlarının arka planını anlamak açısından önemli bir mercek görevi görmektedir. Bu çalışma, Graham Allison’un karar verme modelleri üzerinden 1994’te resmi olarak yıkılan, ırk ayrımına dayalı apartheid rejimi sonrası Güney Afrika Cumhuriyeti dış politikasını ve Güney Afrika’nın Türkiye ile olan ilişkilerini liderler, devlet ve devlet dışı kurumlar üzerinden açıklamaktadır. Güney Afrika için Türkiye, Orta ve Doğu Avrupa ülkeleri arasında en büyük ticaret hacmine sahip bir ülkedir. Türkiye ise ırk ayrımına dayalı Apartheid uygulamaların ortadan kalkmasına kadar Güney Afrika ile diplomatik ilişki kurmamıştır. Ancak ırk ayrımına dayalı rejiminin Güney Afrika’da yıkılmasından sonra iki ülke ilişkileri istenilen seviyeye çıkarılamamıştır. Bu çalışma, apartheid sonrası Güney Afrika dış politikasına ve dış politikayı etkileyen faktörlere odaklanarak, Allison’un dış politika karar verme modelleri bağlamında apartheid sonrası Güney Afrika-Türkiye ilişkileri analiz edilmektedir. Çalışmada nitel bir araştırma metodu benimsenerek resmî kurumlarının açıklamalarının yanı sıra yayımlanan belge, rapor ve haber makalelerinden faydalanılmıştır. Bu çalışmanın temel araştırma sorusu, Güney Afrika karar vericilerinin dış politikaya yönelik olarak nasıl karar aldıkları ve bu kararların Türkiye ile olan ilişkilere nasıl yansıdığıdır. Ayrıca bu çalışma ile Güney Afrika dış politikasındaki etkin aktörler ve bu aktörlerin Türkiye ile olan ilişkilere etkisi araştırılmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• South African Foreign Policy
• Decision-making Models
• South Africa-Turkey Relations
• Africa
• Foreign Policy Analysis.

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