Africa and multilateralism
The commitment of African countries to multilateralism has often gone unnoticed. But at a time when the world is increasingly turning its back on shared institutions, this could change, with Africa emerging as a vocal — and empowered — champion of multilateralism at the regional, continental and global levels.
African countries have long recognized the integral role of multilateralism in fostering development, prosperity and peace. That is why, beyond supporting global efforts such as the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement and the G77, Africa established the Organization of African Unity in 1963. From the 1960s to the 1990s, multilateral initiatives provided critical support for African countries as they escaped colonialism and ended apartheid. The OAU’s successor, the
African Union, embodies the widely held conviction that global cooperation and regional integration are continental imperatives. A pillar of global multilateralism, the 55-member organization is particularly effective at the UN General Assembly, where sheer numbers are key to getting motions passed. At the continental level, the AU comprises eight regional bodies covering Southern, Central, Eastern, Western and Northern Africa. Regarded as the building blocks of the wider African Economic Community, these bodies facilitate coordination among neighbors in ways that support the AU’s broader peace, security, development and governance agendas.
Given the persistence of violent conflict in Africa, most of the AU’s resources are channeled toward promoting continental
peace and security. The organization now takes the lead on peace operations on the continent (including those deployed by the UN) and participates in most political negotiations and mediation efforts.
The AU sometimes contributes to such efforts directly. In Sudan, for example, its negotiators — led by Special Envoy Mohammed El-Hacen Lebatt from Mauritania and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed — were instrumental in securing a power-sharing agreement between the ruling military council and civilian opposition leaders.
The AU also works hard to deepen economic integration, especially by fostering intracontinental trade. Here, Africa has a long way to go: As it stands, only 15 percent of African countries’ exports remain on the continent (in comparison, other Asian countries account for 58 percent of Asian exports, and 67 percent of European exports remain in Europe). Against this background, plans to establish an African Monetary Union with a single currency by 2023 are highly ambitious, to say the least. Founded on a strong sense of shared identity and driven by common interests, Africa’s commitment to multilateralism is a force to be reckoned with
— or, at least, it can be. With international institutions under unprecedented strain, unlocking Africa’s potential as a champion of multilateralism is in everyone’s best interests.