Description
In the study of Diplomacy developments in theory and practice are drawn predominantly from European and American thinkers and practitioners. The growing diplomatic studies literature is seeking to address this, with considerable scope to draw on contribution to Diplomacy from the African continent. Through qualitative historical and archival analysis this paper considers the active diplomacy of Africa’s liberation movements. Drawing on the concept of the ‘Right to Diplomacy’, set out by Constantinou and McConnell (2022), this analysis challenges the notion that Africa’s diplomatic engagement in international diplomacy was not present on the international stage during the period of European colonisation. The paper notes that although liberation movements were not perceived as official state representatives, they actively pursued diplomacy through representation, negotiation, and communication on the global stage. Engaging in international relations was as such, a central part of the work of the representatives of liberation movements. This experience continued to underpin the international relations of the newly independent African states. While it is argued that efforts were made by the international community to integrate African states into the prevailing diplomatic espirit de corps, this research finds that the influence of liberation diplomacy continues to shape the principles and practice of African diplomacy.
Key Words: Africa, Colonialism, Diplomacy, Representation, Liberation Movements, African diplomacy
