Abstract
The study aimed at investigating cooperation between South African government-led business and economic diplomacy in world politics. That is to say that the study examined the role of government- led business in enhancing the economic diplomacy of South Africa both in the region and at a global level. The main research question the study sought to address was to what extent is the cooperation between governments and business capable of advancing economic diplomacy both in the region and at global levels? The political economy became a crucial element for the post-apartheid government to be able to restructure the economy to benefit the majority and improve the efficiency to enhance economic diplomacy. Despite the efforts by the current regime to entrench economic diplomacy, the concept has not yet been well articulated and fully realised. Furthermore, the role of government-business cooperation in advancing economic diplomacy has not yet been explored. In spite of these shifts, the country remains in dire need of understanding the role of government-business cooperation in advancing economic diplomacy. The problem has been to understand the cooperation between the South African government-led business and economic diplomacy. Scholars in the country and the region have given this subject less attention, yet there is still a need to critically understand how economic diplomacy presents itself in all the government-led business in the country and beyond. The study found that there is need for economic diplomacy to be professionalised. Therefore, there is need for a comprehensive approach to training and seminars to train domestic and foreign officials in economic diplomacy. The study recommended the training programme must comprehensive and would also help students acquire effective written and oral communication skills, as well as good consensus building and public relations skills. The study recommended that there must be a cooperative relationship between government-led and private sector business in order to promote economic and trade diplomacy in South Africa. To achieve at these assertions the study adopted a qualitative research design and explanatory and exploratory approaches.