AFRICAN DIPLOMACY ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

The concept of African diplomacy portrays a distinct style of diplomacy which is current. This is due to the fact that the majority of African states attained their independence over the past five decades. Africa is the second largest continent in the world, it has an array of states and consists of fifty-four (54) countries. The level of political maturity in the continent also covers a wide range as this is defined in terms of when independence was attained and period of existence. Furthermore, the economic conditions in the continent indicate a distinct divide between the poorest of the poor to the middle powers in terms of Gross National Product (GNP) per capita income, another indicator of this level of political maturity is the level of industrialisation and lastly the continent is significantly culturally diverse. Moreover, African states remain cognisant of the pluralities that characterise the continent. Notably, slavery and colonialism have immeasurably affected every fabric of African life (Akinyemi 1982). The practice of diplomacy has been utilised by African states to carry out their foreign policies over the years. It is, however, apparent that in the practice of diplomacy in Africa there are limited successes by states and regional organisations in achieving their foreign policy objectives (Akokpari 2016). It is important to note that the failures in African diplomacy are not only attributed to external actors alone but also visible in intra-African diplomacy. Diplomacy in Africa has experienced some of its failures due to a convergence of factors such as: the quality of diplomacy and mediators; the ubiquity of conflicts; the continent’s lack of international influence; Africa’s dependence on external actors and; subsequent lack of assertiveness and the inability to stand up to errant leaders within the region whose actions threaten good governance and regional security (Akokpari 2016). Akokpari (2016) indicates that diplomatic skills in Africa are usually tested during periods of conflicts and threats to regional security. Of which in some instances diplomacy is ineffective in attaining the desired outcomes. The danger of this trajectory is that conflicts continue unresolved and threats to governance continue. This article will examine the historical background of African diplomacy by analysing pre-colonial African diplomacy, the impact of colonisation and foreign influence on the continent. Thereafter, the article will investigate the dynamics of post-colonial African diplomacy which led to the emergence of Pan-Africanism and Multilateral Diplomacy and the development of African Diplomacy and diplomatic practice as a whole. This article will then explore the successes and failures of diplomacy in Africa and the justifications of those failures. Lastly, the article will examine the effects of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) revolution on African Diplomacy.