NAAM
Multilateral practices reflect the changes in the international system. They constitute both a privileged vantage point for changes in the global space and a lever for the actors concerned to contest or consolidate these changes. Although multilateral institutions were established in the aftermath of the Second World War and are dominated by the United States, political actors from the South, and in particular African states, have from the outset played a structuring, though little-known, role within them. Moreover, the global nature of contemporary issues limits their treatment by states alone, which must rely on the infrastructures of multilateralism.
To date, multilateral institutions are the best tool for addressing global warming and achieving sustainable development goals. Their in-depth study is essential, from Africa, to ensure that academic output directly concerned with these issues exists, and that actions are taken towards a more just and equitable international system for the continent.
A detailed understanding of these institutions by African actors would allow the continent’s states to have even greater influence on global decisions such as global warming or the regulation of the international trade order.
What are the current African positions in multilateralism? For example, how many international civil servants are from the continent? Which international organizations are headed by African diplomats? Similarly, what are the examples of campaigns for African candidates to head international organizations, and what strategies have been implemented?
The NAAM program offers a mapping of African actors in contemporary multilateral institutions. It also takes a historical approach to the issue, generating data on the evolution of these implications since the first African independences.
At the end of the program, several international resolutions and standards shaped by African states will be identified, which will contribute to a more inclusive writing of the history of multilateralism. Ultimately, this knowledge will constitute a valuable resource for political decision-makers and diplomats from African countries and continental multilateral organizations, to understand the international and diplomatic action of their countries over the long term.
