An African Worldview on International Relations Theory and State Policy

Theory in international relations has majorly been discussed in the context of the Western experience of IR. Through the development of the discipline, non-Western theories have gained traction and credibility due to the increasing acknowledgment that the international system is dynamic and ever-changing. The focus of this paper is to provide an African worldview on international relations within the context of theory, as well as an analysis of great and emerging power interaction in Africa. The paper will look at traditional theories while highlighting the ideological contributions made from an African perspective. The analysis was drawn from the African colonial and post-colonial experiences, as well as the pre- and post-COVID-19 context of international relations from an African worldview. The underlying theme in the discourse of the IR of African states has been that of solidarity and unity. Through the African Union, there have been attempts aimed at achieving a borderless Africa through an elaborate integration process that is multi-dimensional. The key drawback has been the challenges posed by domestic counterforces that prevent the full achievement of national unity. Despite this, it is imperative for African states to develop a contextual worldview through which they can navigate the international system which is both dynamic and uncertain. This uncertainty is acerbated by the presence of political anarchy and power hierarchy globally.