This article describes peacemaking and democracy in Southern Africa from an American point of view. It places South Africa into the global context of recent changes in the world, states the grounds for optimism in Southern Africa, and lists dynamic factors operating in Southern Africa such as good prospects for peace making and the development of democratisation. Preliminary thoughts on regional cooperation are discussed in terms of the protection of human rights and the safeguarding of democracy, security cooperation to ensure regional peace, and economic integration through regional economic cooperation
The article concludes that global trends argue for re-thinking about how a South Africa without apartheid and its neighbours can achieve greater integration. Southern Africa has little option but to build an integrated region or otherwise risk oblivion and irrelevance. The emergent southern African sub-area offers Africa its best hope yet for peace and democracy.
