Pan-African Multilateralism: Transformative or Disconnected?

Despite a multitude of international institutions on the African continent, worldwide Africa's multilateralism has generally received little attention. Yet, with the emergence of the African Union. (AU) and its institutions, questions arise about its character. Will rhetoric and state symbolism take the place of substance or will the space opened up for democracy and civil society participation allow for greater democratically informed sustainability? With this in mind, the article addresses the issue to what extent the character of African multilateralism continues to display features of disconnectedness as opposed to those of transformation, where its institutions address issues of uneven development in concert with civil society concerns. A more participative multilateralism could have Africa more credibly participate internationally to leverage concessions front the international community. In the interim, amidst stale-centred interpretations of sovereignty there remains the rhetorical and only partial participation of civil society in the institutions of the new AU. The question remains open whether Africa's new multilateralism is becoming transformative in ways that would make it more dualistic in a Coxian sense, connected with the basic social and developmental concerns of greater African society, or whether it remains disconnected with any civil society base.