Since 1994, a stated commitment to Africa has become one of the distinguishing features of South Africa's foreign policy. Different from other regional powers like Brazil and India (that are also engaging with developing states outside of their region, particularly in Africa), South Africa remains focused, with minor exceptions, on Africa. Almost all of its development assistance, for example, goes to African states, and all of South Africa's peacekeeping activity has been limited to the African continent. In this sense, South Africa's role as essentially a regional power with global ambitions is underlined.Although it has undergone minor changes, the emphasis on Africa has been a consistent foreign policy priority across all administrations since South Africa's democratic transition in 1994. While the Mbeki presidency is regarded as having been instrumental in driving the so-called African agenda through the launching of several initiatives like the African Renaissance and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), Africa has been a golden thread running through the country's foreign policy. Some have noted that there has been a slight shift under the Zuma administration to an increased focus on the BRICS (Brazil,