Namibia: A Nation in the Making

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Periodical article

Title:	Namibia: A Nation in the Making
Author:	Du Pisani, Andre
Year:	1990
Periodical:	South Africa International
Volume:	20
Issue:	4
Period:	April
Pages:	195-204
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Namibia South Africa
Subjects:	foreign policy State recognition nationalism Inter-African Relations Politics and Government Development and Technology
Abstract:	This paper offers a provisional and guarded assessment of the process of transition within Namibia as well as some of its implications for South Africa. After an explanation of why Namibia's transition to independence is significant for South Africa and the region, it describes the salient features of Namibia's internationally supervised transition to independence, which is divided into three related, yet fairly distinct phases: the establishment of a UN and international presence for the purpose of peace making and the holding of free and fair elections; the phase of constitution making; and the phase of State and nation building. Implications for South Africa will depend to a significant degree on Namibia's future structure. As far as bilateral relations with South Africa are concerned, Namibia's independence will have implications for the future of Walvis Bay, which, according to SWAPO, needs to be reintegrated with Namibia. Macroeconomic relations are bound to change with Namibia as the tenth member of the SADCC and its access to the Preferential Trade Arrangement (PTA) and the Lomé Convention. Ref.