PAN-AFRICAN-FOREIGN POLICY THEORY: A CONCEPTUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF FOREIGN POLICY ANALYSIS WITHIN POLICY AGENDA SETTING FOR AFRICA

Abstract

In this paper, we advance a new theory: Pan-Africanism Foreign Policy theory, which is defined as one of the pivotal theories created within the discipline of International Relations (IR). Pan-Africanism Foreign Policy theory is aligned to Africa’s continentalism and most important body – the African Union (AU). Pan-Africanism Foreign Policy Theory – is best understood within African foreign policies. Critically, this article thus interrogates the role of Pan-Africanism Foreign Policy theory within a normative framework in shaping African states’ national interests, toward achieving common interests, as well as providing a critique in understanding the AU’s pursuit as an influential player and its role in global affairs: from a nascent foreign policy agenda approach, to building a more robust and progressive foreign policy model. This paper therefore investigates Pan-Africanism Foreign Policy Theory: viewed as the fundamental anchor that provides the ideological framework for the AU’s (and its predecessor: the Organisation of African Unity ([OAU] of 1963) emerging foreign policy architecture, and dissect how this architectural implementation shapes the continental organisation’s regional economic communities (RECs), its 55 member states, and its external bilateral and multilateral international relations in its foreign policy agenda setting.