At the table or on the menu: Africa’s agency and the global order

This report from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines Africa's agency within the global order, highlighting the challenges of multilateralism, the continent's marginal position in international systems, and the institutional struggles of the African Union.

• Multilateralism is losing effectiveness as nations like the United States adopt more self-serving and selective approaches to global institutional engagement.
• Africa is characterized as a 'resilient but marginal player' in the international system, facing difficulties in the UN Security Council and General Assembly due to an inability to vote as a coherent group.
• While the African Union is increasingly institutionalizing its responses to peace and security, it suffers from dysfunctionality regarding logistics, funding, and the adoption of common positions.
• The continent's agency in the evolving global order is influenced by opportunities and challenges stemming from economic growth, trade, migration, and demographics.
• Geostrategic divides cause paralysis within the UN Security Council, which hinders African members from establishing common positions and approaches.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2019). At the table or on the menu: Africa’s agency and the global order. https://saiia.org.za/research/at-the-table-or-on-the-menu-africas-agency-and-the-global-order/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. At the table or on the menu: Africa’s agency and the global order. 2019. https://saiia.org.za/research/at-the-table-or-on-the-menu-africas-agency-and-the-global-order/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=At the table or on the menu: Africa’s agency and the global order |date=21 October 2019 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/at-the-table-or-on-the-menu-africas-agency-and-the-global-order/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2019table, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{At the table or on the menu: Africa’s agency and the global order}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2019}, month = oct, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/at-the-table-or-on-the-menu-africas-agency-and-the-global-order/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }