Quid des droits humains dans les relations internationales africaines ?

The document examines how human rights are integrated into African international relations, noting a gap between formal commitments to regional and international treaties and the practical application of these norms. It highlights how national interests, historical colonial ties, and the emergence of non-conditional economic partnerships—particularly with China—often supersede human rights considerations. The author analyzes specific cases, such as the African Union's response to the ICC warrant for Omar Al-Bashir and South Africa's diplomatic balancing act, to argue that human rights often remain a "variable concern" rather than a central pillar of foreign policy.

• African states have established a comprehensive formal framework for human rights, including the 1981 African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, ratified by 53 member states, and the creation of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights in 1987.
• Despite formal structures, the effectiveness of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights is hindered by a lack of official follow-up mechanisms and limited enforcement of its recommendations.
• Western democracies and international financial institutions have used human rights as a condition for aid and trade, exemplified by the EU's Cotonou Agreement and the World Bank's eventual withdrawal from the Chad-Cameroon pipeline project in September 2008 due to governance failures.
• China's economic engagement in Africa provides an alternative to Western conditionality through a policy of non-interference, which the author suggests may encourage corruption and human rights violations in countries like Angola, DRC, Equatorial Guinea, and Sudan.
• There is a significant tension between the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the African Union regarding the arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, with many African states prioritizing "African solutions to African problems" and alleging regional bias by the ICC.
• South Africa's foreign policy demonstrates a conflict between its international obligations and regional solidarity, as seen in its initial opposition to sanctions on Zimbabwe and the Al-Bashir warrant, though it later reaffirmed its commitment to arrest Al-Bashir if he entered South African territory.

APA

Mindzie, M. A. (2009). Quid des droits humains dans les relations internationales africaines ? South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Occasional-Paper-39-FR.pdf

Chicago

Mindzie, Mireille Affa’a. Quid des droits humains dans les relations internationales africaines ? South African Institute of International Affairs, 2009. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Occasional-Paper-39-FR.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mindzie |first1=Mireille Affa’a |title=Quid des droits humains dans les relations internationales africaines ? |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=August 2009 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Occasional-Paper-39-FR.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mindzie2009quid, author = {Mindzie, Mireille Affa’a}, title = {{Quid des droits humains dans les relations internationales africaines ?}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2009}, month = aug, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Occasional-Paper-39-FR.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }