Post-Cold War International Relations and Foreign Policies in Africa: New Issues and New Challenges

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dc.contributor.authorAkokpari, John
dc.date.accessioned2016-10-26T11:02:22Z
dc.date.available2016-10-26T11:02:22Z
dc.date.issued2001
dc.description.abstractThis paper argues that international relations in Africa have changed especially in content since the abatement of the Cold War. These changes have been accelerated by the pressures unleashed by the international environment, including the reality of Africa’s marginalisation and the forces of globalisation. These, along with domestic factors, including debt, internal conflicts, the impact of the ubiquitous structural adjustment programmes (SAPs), HIV/AIDS and human insecurity in general have combined to underscore foreign aid and economic assistance as key driving forces of the continent’s foreign policies and diplomacy towards the North. Yet, the new thrust of foreign policies, informed by the need for foreign aid, has not occurred without a price. Among other things it has elevated technocrats in central or reserve banks and finance ministries to positions of prominence vis-à-vis officials from foreign ministries and in the process introduced extra- African actors into the foreign policy making process of the continent. This in turn has undermined Africa’s increasingly tenuous economic sovereignty. But above all, it has led to the strengthening of ties with the North and international creditors in particular at the cost of intra-African relations. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the African Union (AU) recently inaugurated, promise to open a new chapter in Africa’s international relations. It is argued, however, that against a background of a confluence of factors, these new continental projects will make only a minimal impact in terms of mitigating the consequences of the aid-driven foreign policies and thus altering the donor-oriented postures of African states.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationAkokpari, J. (2001). Post-Cold War International Relations and Foreign Policies in Africa: New Issues and New Challenges. <i>African Journal of International Affairs</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22314en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationAkokpari, John "Post-Cold War International Relations and Foreign Policies in Africa: New Issues and New Challenges." <i>African Journal of International Affairs</i> (2001) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22314en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationAkokpari, J. (2001). Post-Cold War International Relations and Foreign Policies in Africa: New Issues and New Challenges. African Journal of International Affairs, 4(1/2), 34-55.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0850-7902en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Akokpari, John AB - This paper argues that international relations in Africa have changed especially in content since the abatement of the Cold War. These changes have been accelerated by the pressures unleashed by the international environment, including the reality of Africa’s marginalisation and the forces of globalisation. These, along with domestic factors, including debt, internal conflicts, the impact of the ubiquitous structural adjustment programmes (SAPs), HIV/AIDS and human insecurity in general have combined to underscore foreign aid and economic assistance as key driving forces of the continent’s foreign policies and diplomacy towards the North. Yet, the new thrust of foreign policies, informed by the need for foreign aid, has not occurred without a price. Among other things it has elevated technocrats in central or reserve banks and finance ministries to positions of prominence vis-à-vis officials from foreign ministries and in the process introduced extra- African actors into the foreign policy making process of the continent. This in turn has undermined Africa’s increasingly tenuous economic sovereignty. But above all, it has led to the strengthening of ties with the North and international creditors in particular at the cost of intra-African relations. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the African Union (AU) recently inaugurated, promise to open a new chapter in Africa’s international relations. It is argued, however, that against a background of a confluence of factors, these new continental projects will make only a minimal impact in terms of mitigating the consequences of the aid-driven foreign policies and thus altering the donor-oriented postures of African states. DA - 2001 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - African Journal of International Affairs LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2001 SM - 0850-7902 T1 - Post-Cold War International Relations and Foreign Policies in Africa: New Issues and New Challenges TI - Post-Cold War International Relations and Foreign Policies in Africa: New Issues and New Challenges UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22314 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/22314
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationAkokpari J. Post-Cold War International Relations and Foreign Policies in Africa: New Issues and New Challenges. African Journal of International Affairs. 2001; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22314.en_ZA
dc.languageengen_ZA
dc.publisherCouncil for the Development of Social Science Research in Africaen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Political Studiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceAfrican Journal of International Affairsen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://www.codesria.org/spip.php?rubrique44
dc.titlePost-Cold War International Relations and Foreign Policies in Africa: New Issues and New Challengesen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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