Is Quiet Diplomacy in Consonance with Meaningful Peacemaking in SADC? Lessons from Zimbabwe

Abstract

Peace is one of the most contested research agendas in security studies. In recent times, proactive efforts towards peace have been epitomized by a peacemaking agenda that has been seen to be regional and home-grown in its approach. The experience in Africa indicates that the continent has been progressively advancing conflict resolution approaches which have been generally characterised by the logic of solidarity and respect of sovereignty. But at the heart of this daunting task lies the question of leadership and interests, which keep haunting comprehensive peace efforts of the continent. Southern Africa has been looking to South Africa as a pacesetter in SADC’s peace agenda yet its efforts towards peacemaking seem to be encapsulated within a rather naive approach of quiet diplomacy. Hence, this paper argues that by accommodating the quiet diplomacy approach in the resolution of regional conflicts, SADC may be jeopardising its own commitment to peace and security, making it subject to capture by powerful interests. And the tendency to tolerate impunity on the basis of gradual reforms further shows the weakness of the approach as a credible peacemaking strategy. This paper draws lessons from the mediation efforts of South Africa in the Zimbabwe crisis.