Paper short abstract:

This paper provokes an interrelated questioning about the three major fronts in Southern Africa that changed the face of the continent: ALCORA, FLS and CONSAS. I will analyze these groupings as “fronts” standing between the apartheid and the colonial system, and following a strong regional agenda.

Paper long abstract:

The 1970´s Southern African context, although anchored in the Cold War problematic, was firstly following a complex regional agenda, were taking sides meant fighting for or maintaining the independence. South Africa, assuming the role of the dominant "regional power", was apparently trying to balance the South African crisis from different fronts.

This paper seeks to determine the role played by South Africa in the three major fronts in the region, which changed the face of the continent: ALCORA, FLS (Front Line States) and CONSAS (Constellation of Southern African States). Faithful to a personal agenda, South Africa´s intention was to strengthen the apartheid system in the last days of the colonial system de facto in Southern Africa.

The last years´ interest in these groupings offers a range of interpretations. How can they be described? Organizations, coalitions, alliances are among the various denominations given, but which hi(stories) are told and from who´s standpoint? My proposal is to interpret these groupings as "fronts" (A.H.Omari). Firstly, because they represent interest and power groups engaged with clear objectives in the regional defence, and they tend to have a temporary character that explains the demise of the alliance after reaching its objectives. Secondly, the "front" is understood as a battle field. From this view, they represent coalitions, which also include non-state actors (A.H. Omari), part of the newly "Third World".

Thus, my purpose is to analyze all these regional and sub-regional perspectives from a multi-disciplinary approach capable to provoke different angled questioning around the given matters.