New regionalisms and the African Union

The African Union [AU] is representative of the post-Cold War international order that is witnessing increasing regional integration and co-operation across the globe. In the absence of intense ideological competition between the United States and Soviet-led blocs that marked the Cold War era, regional organisations have become increasingly prominent in international politics. The importance and relevance of regions and regional dynamics have also come to the fore within the practice of diplomacy and statecraft, fomenting change within the current international order. A ‘new regionalisms approach’ [NRA] allows a better understanding of such trends within the present international order.¹ This approach is applied as an analytical lens to address contemporary issues of relevance to the AU. Whether it is the influence of bureaucrats behind the scenes, understanding episodes of sustained violent conflict, or locating the role of civil society in governance schemes, the NRA places the implications of such issues in regional context. In the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the importance of civil society can be read into Article 3(g), which states that the AU will ‘promote democratic principles and institutions, popular participation and good governance’.² Civil society can influence the AU through participation on special committees, expert panels, and sectorial meetings of the AU Commission. Ideas of civil society groups may be transmitted through these channels to ‘Africrats’—bureaucrats within the AU. If accepted by Africrats, these ideas may result in a policy proposal being put forward for consideration by the AU Assembly, which is the most important body or organ of the organisation.³ The result is an opening up of a small yet important space for civil society within the institutional framework of the AU.⁴ Although the importance of civil society and its participation in contributing to good governance is often referenced in AU documents and declarations, members of non-governmental organisations [NGOs] are often persecuted in member states such as Zimbabwe and Eritrea or face severe restrictions in countries such as Angola and Sudan.