Theme Summary

Introduction

Africa is a region of increasing strategic importance on a global scale. At the same time, the world is experiencing shifting power dynamics, technological advancements, and geopolitical rivalries in a complex evolving world order. In these fluxes, Africa stands at a critical juncture, facing both opportunities and challenges as it adapts to this changing landscape. One of Africa’s biggest challenges is economic inequality, with some of the world’s vulnerable countries and the fastest-growing economies found on the continent. This inequality creates social tensions and political instability, making it difficult to achieve socio-economic development. Another challenge for Africa is security, with conflicts, terrorism, organized crime, and climate change causing instability and discouraging investment.

Furthermore, the process of democratisation and integration in Africa faces significant obstacle including the growing prevalence of pro-coup and anti-democracy narratives, particularly influenced by the democratic governance experience of citizens in West and Central Africa. Simultaneously, some countries are withdrawing from Regional Economic Communities (RECs) due to concerns about the responsiveness, priority alignments, consistencies and inconsistencies of these RECs which negatively affect the willingness of military administrations to engage and cooperate toward a return to democratic and constitutional order, the perception of the RECs among the people, and raise doubts about whom the RECs truly represent and whose interest they prioritize. These challenges directly impact the Africa Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and the role of RECs, with further potential threats to regional integration observed in ongoing conversations surrounding recognition and access to the sea in East Africa. Overall, it is crucial for African governments and institutions to recognize and address the issue of fragmentation as it undermines the African agency, weakens the unity and influence of the continent, and hampers its renegotiation within the international economic and political systems.

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