Introduction
International relation is an essential factor that contributes to the boost in the welfare among individuals. One of the regions that significantly benefits from the quotient is the African member states. On the one hand, colonialism significantly influenced the political governance in South Africa. On the other hand, modernism fostered the establishment of sustainable social networks among nations, both inbound and outbound. The lack of coherence between states risks war, whose consequences prominently enshrine loss of lives, displacement, and destruction of properties (Beloff 2). In this case, it is the responsibility of the distinct governments to incorporate strategies that enhance joint relations among different territories.
Thesis Statement
The United Arab Emirates is a major player in the development of mutual affairs with African states as a means of elevating accrued economic benefits from the transactions.
This study seeks to assess the interdependent relationship between the UAE and South Africa under the spectrum of foreign policy. Despite the willingness to establish mutual relations, a significant percentage of the African nations encounter key challenges concerning socio-cultural, economic, and political stability. Under the historical domain, the region’s colonization was significantly attributed to the modern perception regarding political and leadership practices. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the distinctive framework on governance structure and the trickle-down effect of the interrelations. The research methodology is a qualitative analysis using case study model to assess the dynamic factors rendering advocacy for UAE foreign policy in Africa.
Research Questions
The research entails the assessment of UAE’s foreign policy in South Africa under the spectrum of 2050 prospects. In this case, the independent element is the concepts within the mainframe of South Africa. The dependent entity entails UAE’s foreign policy that is subject to the overview of Africa’s member states and future development goals.
Main Research Question
What is the influence of UAE foreign policy on South Africa and the 2050 prospects?
Secondary Research Questions
- What is the impact of xenophobia on the South African’s relationship with the UAE?
- What is the effect on personal growth and development by xenophobic practices?
- What is the socio-cultural significance of xenophobia to South Africans?
The Importance of Research in Theory and Practice
The significance of the study is a prominent assessment of critical components attributing to the nature of relationship-building among South African residents. The analysis theoretically contributes to the derivation of insights concerning the impact of South Africa’s historical encounter under colonial rule. Practically, the research affirms the efficiency scale of the UAE’s foreign policy’s contribution to the advancement in socio-cultural and economic domains in South Africa. International relations between the UAE and South Africa are a sustainable initiative that intensifies growth and development in the respective nations based on the shared benefits. Discrimination founded on identity is a security threat and hindrance to foreigners’ investment portfolios.
Research Methodology
The research has been conducted through qualitative research method that is the case study approach, to analyze the policies from different time periods. It is an approach that offers in-depth comprehension concerning the evolutionary nature of relationship between UAE and South Africa. Apart from the evaluation of interstate agreements, the assessment fosters the change in guideline structure within UAE as a formative strategy to improve connectivity with South Africa and market penetration. In this case, the outcome will indicate the periods UAE government changed its structural action plan on interdependence with South Africa, emergence of new norms and politics globally.
International Relations in Africa
Relationship-building among states is a multidimensional phenomenon that depends on the engagement of citizens. According to historical accounts, after the British colonization, South Africa experienced a significantly influential apartheid-era involving segregation of citizens based on ethnic identity (Masikane et al. 2). In this case, the Whites attained optimal privileges over the Africans hence fostering social class as a factor attributing to a person’s status in the community. The concept contributed to the marginalization of the minority as an after-effect of the apartheid period. Despite independence, Black South Africans were limited in accessing essential services from the government and distinguished public domains. As a result, citizens established a counter-policy that promotes the localization of operations and activities. The apartheid mainframe fostered the birth of xenophobia as a formative aspect barring foreigners from accessing South African amenities.
Research Concepts
Public opinion plays a crucial role in the implementation process of a policy due to the necessity to address divergent viewpoints. Policies that aim at improving the growth and development of a region rely on the engagement of the citizens. It is an initiative that requires coordination between stakeholders to improve the performance outlier. On the one hand, guidelines establish the marginal expectation from particular interdependent theoretical frameworks. On the other hand, the mainframe reflects the optimal contribution by all parties. The development of participatory asset mapping requires the optimal engagement of different people within a region to enhance the collection of crucial information (Akhmetshin et al. 660). The mapping process reflects the profound impact on establishing action plans that boost the quality of service. Sustainable growth and development depend on integrating certain initiatives that enhance relationship-building among dynamic participants while elevating the impact of social equity.
Proficiency in social work and relations is a multidimensional phenomenon that requires acquiring advanced knowledge and skills during the interaction. The expertise enshrines such facets as communication, cultural competence, organization, critical thinking, active listening, and advocacy. Primarily, it is crucial for foreigners to establish relations with the community members to gather vital details on welfare and challenges affecting growth and development. Different ethnic groups foster various customs and norms, establishing a functional framework that improves the recognition and appreciation of dynamism (Krzymowski 48). Diversity is a platform that ensures sharing of information and strategies regarding equity and effectiveness in service delivery through the programs.
Hypotheses
There is an interdependent relationship between UAE foreign policy and the prospect of South Africa.
South Africa’s colonial political history has significantly attributed to the country’s current xenophobic issue.
The Evolution of UAE Foreign Policy
The UAE is a federation state that emerged after a merge between distinctive Emiratis. The main reason for the unity engulfed intensifying security from attacks by neighboring countries, namely Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran. After the withdrawal of British military in the region in 1971, the Iranian government attacked one of the Emiratis while Saudi Arabia focused on Abu Dhabi (Shahrour 3). Primarily, international relation is a backbone of the UAE’s success under the spectral view of social, cultural, economic, and political domains. UAE is a small federation that is surrounded by volatile and hostile countries hence the importance of intensifying connectivity with other territories.
The UAE foreign policy features a significant percentage of Arabness, mildness, and bandwagon. Sheikh Zayed was the first ruler of UAE and established inherent guidelines concerning engagement with other Arabian countries. In this case, the leader focused on channeling oil revenue towards boosting relationships with other nations for security purposes. An excellent example is the alliance with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in 1981 that later led to a fallout after the institution’s unsuccessful attempt to protect Kuwait from invasion by Iraq in 1990 (Shahrour 4). Further, Sheikh Zayed established coalition with the U.S for guaranteed provision of security from external invasions and attacks. After the death of Sheikh Zayed, his son Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed was assigned to lead UAE in 2014, the country experienced significant change in the foreign policy structure.
Under the rule of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, UAE faced optimal evolution and elevation in power and influence across the Asian and global regions. The leader’s slogan enshrines enhancing UAE as a parochial competence with a prominent international reach. In this case, it is the mandate of the dynamic institutions to establish approaches that boost the distribution of benefits on developmental changes across UAE and other territories. On the one hand, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed indicates that it is important to enhance economic liberalism in UAE to amplify the growth scale. On the other hand, the captain postulates that it is crucial to integrate secular ultra-authoritarianism across the international relations mainframe (Shahrour 5). The multistate focus on building a network in Africa articulates the sustainability influence to the socio-cultural and economic structures worldwide. Ideally, the UAE’s pact with South Africa is a reflection to the phenomenal approach on intensifying connectivity and necessity of elevating the interdependence.
UAE Foreign Policy in South Africa
The UAE significantly invested resources in Africa under the spectrum of soft power to enhance the interdependence relationship. According to research, the U.S established hard power in African countries to advance the influential baseline (Hassan 2). However, the UAE focused on soft power as the emblem of African relations under the economic and cultural domains. The dynamic pillars of diplomacy within the UAE foreign policy framework enshrine humanitarian, economic, scientific, people, cultural, and national representatives. In this case, the association between UAE and South Africa is founded in the mainframe of socio-cultural and economic fields of cooperation.
One of the common characteristics among the Anglophone nations is appreciating democracy and equality. In this case, South Africa features minimal military take-over of the governance system since it was a British colony. Historical records indicate that the frequency of a coup mainly occurs in regions with limited public participation in political activities, such as Nigeria (Gökalp 3). South Africa upholds the essence of democracy, thus indicating the importance of boosting the engagement of all stakeholders. Inbound relationship-building between citizens enhances the confidence index among foreign countries in deciding to invest in the region. UAE’s foreign policy in South Africa spans diversified platforms under the spectrum of socio-cultural and economic domains. One of the components rendering association between UAE and South Africa is promoting healthcare services among the South Africans. During the COVID-19 pandemic, UAE contributed seven metric tons of medical aid kits to the South African government to utilize in service delivery to the residents (Krzymowski 48). The UAE’s foreign policy to upsurge medical care in the African nation is an initiative that contributes to the advancement of quality healthcare in South Africa.
Fields of Cooperation
In a different spectrum, the UAE government proficiently invested in the South African market baseline. According to research, there is a significant amount of funds and business operations by the UAE in South Africa (Akhmetshin et al. 653). An excellent example is Emirates Airlines, one of the largest globally sharing a code with South Africa’s local airlines for domestic flights. While the Emirates attain a competitive market position in South Africa, the organization adeptly advertises the region as a preferred tourist destination to international consumers (Salisbury 5). Notably, the UAE administration promotes sustainable practice based on its contribution to South Africa’s economic development.
There is a significant economic cooperation between the UAE and South Africa due to the mutual dependence. The bilateral agreement spans across the international relations with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The UAE government prominently engages the GCC as a strategy of intensifying the outreach of the benefits within Arabian region and the South African market. Since the treaties in 1994, the UAE recently attained 24th position as the biggest market for the South African products (UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation para 4). On the one hand, South Africa profoundly exports gold and steel to the UAE market based on the optimal infrastructural development demanding a high scope of the materials, mainly steel. On the other hand, the common commodities exported by the UAE to South Africa are oil-related, home appliances, machinery, computer accessories, textiles, and transportation equipment. In this case, South Africa emerged as 35th largest trading partner for UAE globally.
The bilateral trade pact between the UAE and South Africa features significant investment quotient in different denominations. In a government report, the UAE indicates a return on investment of at least R3 billion from 14 projects in South Africa (UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation para 8). There is an evidently significant amount of investment from both countries since South Africa owes 70% of its imports from the UAE, mainly crude oil. Apart from the commodity trade, the two countries diversified the mutual relation to a different angle within the medical care sector (UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation para 9). In 2016, the South African Mediclinic took over Al Noor Hospital Group in the UAE and intensified the operations for optimal return on investment quotient (Saberi et al. 44). In a distinct spectrum, the entities established such policies as tax-free income through the banking system to enhance the trade activities and interdependence in residential and commercial real estates. While South African government records a capital investment of Dh 1 billion, the UAE establishes at least Dh 600 million (UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation para 15). The increase in the financial pool trickles down to the intensification in business opportunities for citizens from the different nations.
Impact of Socio-Cultural, Economic, and Political Development in South Africa
There is a significant relationship between the increase in poverty and crime rates. Therefore, it is crucial for dynamic institutions to implement policies that promote the participation of all parties to intensify the trickle-down effect of accrued benefits. Apart from the cognitive-behavioral approach, unhealthy emotional development negatively affects the physical well-being of individuals. The quotient fostered the emergence of xenophobic behavior among South Africans (Salisbury 6). In this case, researchers indicate an increase in insecurity across the cities and rural areas due to xenophobic-related attacks against foreigners (Salisbury 6). It is essential to indicate the core aspect that boosts international relations mainly to enhance the involvement of the UAE in South Africa’s economic development.
Governance in society is an issue that involves the establishment of policies regulating human behavior and practices. Incorporating rules are necessary to ensure the restriction of dynamic interactions and the nature of relationship-building. An excellent example of a prominently restricted character is violence, theft, and deception. Although it is disputable to determine the vital essence of regulating different groups, institutional leaders’ responsibility is to enhance peaceful coherence (Masikane et al. 4). The lack of effective constitutional laws risks a subjective approach concerning incorporating a capable social justice system that affects international relationship-building.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed seeks to enhance the economic growth rate in the UAE under the spectrum of capitalism. Therefore, the leader focuses on establishing relational institutions across regions with high potential for development and marketability of country’s products and services. South Africa is rich in minerals and a vast market for UAE products, mainly oil. In this case, the UAE focuses on westernized perceptive domain on optimal acquisition of wealth with minimal regards to the religious affiliations in different states. One of the core indicators for the utilized policy is the penetration of Emirate airline to local air transportation operations. The initiative fosters diversification of income for the nation while asserting security and financial support on developmental projects in South Africa. There is a significant difference concerning the current rule by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed over Sheikh Zayed due to the revolutionized interpretation on intersectionality of common interests. During Sheikh Zayed’s era, UAE established relations with the U.S and eventually participated in the war against terror in Somalia (Shahrour 4). However, after the change in leadership, the region focuses on financial gains across the distinctive African states.
International relation is an essential factor that contributes to the boost in the welfare between individuals. One of the regions that significantly benefits from the quotient is the African member states. On the one hand, colonies attributed to dynamic effect onto governance system amid the entities. On the other hand, modernism fostered a sustainable social network among both inbound and outbound nations. In this case, it is the responsibility of the various governments to incorporate strategies that enhance joint relations among distinct territories (Saberi et al. 46). The United Arab Emirates is a major player in the development of mutual affairs with African states to elevate accrued economic benefits from the transactions.
Conclusion
The evolution of UAE’s foreign policy fostered an optimal alteration to the ideological aspect of establishing interstate networks. As the backbone of UAE’s formation, international relations significantly influenced the growth and development within the region and reliance on neighboring countries. On the one hand, Sheikh Zayed focused on protecting the nation’s sovereignty hence the treaties with the U.S. On the other hand, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed established relations with other territories for economic gain and sustainability practice. In this case, South Africa aptly shares profits under the spectrum of socio-cultural foundations with minimal religious and political power influence. Notably, the United Arab Emirates is a major player in the development of mutual affairs with African states as a means of elevating accrued economic benefits from the transactions.
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