This book provides readers with the first comprehensive study of South Africa’s foreign policy conducted in a multilateral setting, by placing on record over 1000 of South Africa’s votes at the United Nations over a 20 year period. The study investigates consistency in terms of South Africa’s declared foreign policy and its actual voting practices at the United Nations.

Democratic South Africa’s Foreign Policy: Voting Behaviour in the United Nations offers a compendium of South Africa’s United Nations behaviour during a poignant transitional period in the country’s recent history. In setting out a framework for analysing the conduct of other countries’ voting behaviour in parallel with this study, it can be used to advance the field as a useful comparative tool. This book presents the material needed for International Relations scholars and practitioners in the field to make a reasoned and reflective assessment of this dimension of South Africa’s foreign policy. 

List of Figures and Tables.- Acknowledgements.- Foreword.- List of Abbreviations and Acronyms.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Foreign Policy: Pinpointing Principles and Themes.- 3 Voting on Human Rights and Democracy Issues.- 4 Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Issues.- 5 Advancing African Interests.- 6 Voting on Reforming the UN.- 7 Conclusion.- Appendix: South Africa’s UN votes in summary and by theme (1994-2014).- Notes.- Bibliography.- Index.