International Relations in Pre-Colonial Africa

International Relations in Africa

• International relations involve interactions and behaviors between countries, states, or members, often driven by necessity.

Pre-Colonial Africa

• Refers to the historical period before European colonization of Africa and Africans after the Berlin Conference of 1884-85.
• Characterized by pluralism, with varied state-run empires or kingdoms founded on communist principles, self-governing, and autonomous with defined territorial jurisdictions.
• Examples of pre-colonial African states include Kanem-Bornu.

Statehood

• According to the Montevideo Convention of 1933, requirements for statehood include:
  • Permanent population
  • Defined territory
  • Government
  • Capacity to enter into relations with other states
• Many African political entities attained statehood even before the Montevideo declaration.

Pre-Colonial African States and International Relations

• Pre-colonial African states engaged in external relations, such as alliance, subservient, or truce, for economic benefit, political alliance, or protection.
• These relations were driven by the struggle for control of power, resources, and land.
• Pre-colonial African states were autonomous, self-governing, and occupied a definite territory.
• Isolationism is an antithesis to genuine, vibrant, and holistic development in international relations.

Forms of Relationship

• End products of interactions between pre-colonial African states include military confrontation, economic ties, truce, domination, political alliances, and security alliances or protection.
• National survival interest is the major causation of external relations engaged or supported by states.
• Trading activities and governmental relationships were also evident among pre-colonial African states.
• Pre-colonial African relationships or interactions across borders had taken an international dimension, involving government and people of different pre-colonial states.

This quiz covers international relations in Africa, including interactions and behaviors between states, institutional and intergovernmental relationships, and statehood in pre-colonial Africa.