African Agency Towards Global Powers: A View from the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Introduction
In 2024, the African Center for the Study of the United States at the University of the Witwatersrand (Republic of South Africa) commissioned a study entitled “African Agency Toward Global Powers: A View from Regional Economic Blocs”.Agency, in a nutshell, refers to the capacity to exert political influence externally. Thus, the study investigated the extent to which Africa, particularly the regional economic blocs (RECs), was able to influence and shape its relations with various global powers and actors. It analysed bilateral and multilateral actors, as well as other development partners, such as international financial institutions. The study focused on five (5) of the eight (8) RECs recognized by the African Union, namely, the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), the East African Community (EAC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
