ABSTRACT
The coalescence period in US and South African foreign policies towards Africa was one where past lessons, present realities, and future aims merged. For United States (US) foreign policy makers, the start of the period proved that they had learned that being overly assertive and openly confrontational in African affairs could result in frustration. As a result, a pattern emerged where, whenever possible, they sought to convey American goals and ideas, but also sought to underscore how these had been, or would be, shaped by Africans themselves. In South Africa, indications early on in coalescence period were that the government was not that at odds with the overall thrust of US foreign policy towards Africa. At the heart of this congruence was the South African government's 'Growth, Employment, and Redistribution (GEAR)' strategy, unveiled in June 1996. GEAR set a target of ambitious economic growth and job creation through privatisation, increased competitiveness, fiscal prudence, and the corresponding enticement of foreign investment.
