ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the foreign policy of one of the smallest states in the world, Zimbabwe. It seeks to show that, unlike the foreign relations of many other small states, Zimbabwe's external relations have been robust, active, and daring. During the eighteen years of its sovereign existence since 1980, Zimbabwe's foreign policy has reflected or encompassed regional and global considerations—proving that some small states have the capacity to play a constructive role in world affairs. Zimbabwe became an independent state only in 1980, but that did not mean that its predecessor, colonial Zimbabwe, had no relations or experiences with the external world. Zimbabwe's independence was the real trigger for South Africa's policy of destabilization in Southern Africa. The development of Zimbabwean foreign policy since 1980 offers several general lessons that may be particularly relevant for other states in Southern Africa.
