This book reviews the various ideologies and policies that independent African states have used to enhance their power and status in the world through a range of political, security, and economic strategies of inter-African cooperation and integration. Against the background of the ideology of Eurafrica, which informs Europe’s and France’s evolving relationship with Africa, the author assesses the prospects of the counter-ideology of Pan-Africanism. Africa’s economic, political, cultural, and geostrategic relations with Europe—within the framework of the successive Lome Convention—and with France—within the framework of La Francophone and Franco-African cooperation system—are thoroughly examined.

An overview of the numerous inter-state and intra-state border, ethnic, religious, and political conflicts which have erupted throughout Africa since the end of the Cold War leads to an examination of various inter-African peacemaking and peacekeeping strategies and policies. These have evolved at the regional (Organization of African Unity) and sub-regional levels where African organizations aimed at economic cooperations and integration (such as Ecowas, IGAD, and SADC) are increasingly assuming a collective security dimension. The response of the international community to the challenge of humanitarian assistance to African refugees is also examined.

Against the background of contending notions of Afro-pessimism and Afro-optimism, the author considers various political and economic strategies of cooperation and integration. Throughout this engaging new book, Martin adopts a distinctly Pan-African approach. He argues that economic, political, and military unity among African states is necessary to enhance the power and status of African states in the contemporary world system.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
GUY MARTIN was recently a visiting professor at New York University. He also served as a visiting associate professor of government and foreign affairs at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He previously taught African politics and international relations both in Africa and in the United States. In 1990-91, he launched the Africa Program at the International Peace Academy. He has also published widely on African politics and international relations, notably in The Journal of Modern African Studies, African Development, Afrique 2000, Geneve-Afrique, and Ufahamu.

CATEGORY
Politics/AFRICA