Common African positions on global issues

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the process of developing Common African Positions (CAPs) within the African Union (AU) to enable the continent to speak with one voice in global diplomacy. While highlighting successful examples like the Post-2015 Development Agenda, the author identifies systemic challenges including a lack of member state ownership, over-dependence on external funding, and disconnects between AU headquarters and multilateral diplomatic hubs.

• The process of negotiating Common African Positions (CAPs) within the African Union is described as convoluted, politically stressful, and time-consuming, often hindered by member states prioritizing national geostrategic interests over continental goals.
• A critical weakness in the CAP process is the lack of ownership by AU member states, resulting in many positions becoming mere diplomatic papers that remain in offices in Addis Ababa without being implemented or promoted by relevant national government agencies.
• The AU is overly dependent on external development partners for the financial and technical resources required to convene sessions and validate experts, which the report suggests is counterproductive and may limit the AU's efficacy as an actor.
• The report identifies a significant disconnect between the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa and African diplomatic groups in hubs such as New York, Geneva, Vienna, Brussels, and Nairobi, leading to inconsistent positions in international forums.
• The Common African Position on the Post-2015 Development Agenda (2014) is cited as a highly impactful example of a CAP, having influenced the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through an inclusive methodology and strong leadership by a High-Level Committee.
• The Common African Position on Asset Recovery (CAPAR), endorsed in February 2020, aims to combat illicit financial flows through four pillars: detection and identification, recovery and return, management of recovered assets, and cooperation and partnerships.
• To improve the CAP process, the report recommends a 'three Cs' approach—consultation, coordination, and communication—and suggests that the AU Commission should organize regional consultations across the five AU regions to increase buy-in.

APA

Adeoye, B. (2020). Common African positions on global issues. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ar-30-2.pdf

Chicago

Adeoye, Bankole. Common African positions on global issues. Institute for Security Studies, 2020. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ar-30-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Adeoye |first1=Bankole |title=Common African positions on global issues |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=December 2020 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ar-30-2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{adeoye2020common, author = {Adeoye, Bankole}, title = {{Common African positions on global issues}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ar-30-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }