Introduction

Individual foreign policy agency is about self-reflective action involving identity, norms, coordination and developing organisation. This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book looks at past and present African foreign policy concepts and practices, focusing on the African Union as the prime collective foreign policy actor. This is followed with descriptions of South Africa, Ethiopia and Nigeria as key powers of influence. Zimbabwe’s and Kenya’s expressions of symbolic power and a diplomatic and military presence in their respective regions makes them significant. The book deals with the external affairs of small states, including those of a state situated both in Francophone Africa and that of the Maghreb. Lastly, the external relations of a regional organisation, SADC, in its external relations of implementing its regional security policy, is considered.