Foreign relations of the African Union

The individual member states of the African Union

Member states of the African Union

There are currently 54 member states of the African Union.A member state is any one of the 54 sovereign nation states that have acceded to the Organisation of African Unity since it was established on 25 May 1963, and South Sudan...

(AU) coordinate foreign policy through this agency, in addition to conducting their own international relations

International relations

International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...

on a state-by-state basis. The AU represents the interests of African peoples at large in intergovernmental organizations (IGO's); for instance, it is a permanent observer

United Nations General Assembly observers

In addition to the current 193 member states, the United Nations welcomes many international organizations, entities, and non-member states as observers. Observer status is granted by a United Nations General Assembly resolution...

at the United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

' General Assembly

United Nations General Assembly

For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...

Other intergovernmental organizations

Membership of the AU overlaps with other IGO's, and occasionally these third-party organizations and the AU will coordinate matters of public policy.

Political

Non-Aligned Movement
Non-Aligned Movement
The Non-Aligned Movement is a group of states considering themselves not aligned formally with or against any major power bloc. As of 2011, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries...

(Every AU member state, except the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a partially recognised state that claims sovereignty over the entire territory of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony. SADR was proclaimed by the Polisario Front on February 27, 1976, in Bir Lehlu, Western Sahara. The SADR government controls about...

)
Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
- Botswana
- Cameroon
- The Gambia
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nigeria
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- South Africa
- Swaziland
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- Zambia

Regional

Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
- Egypt
- Sudan
- Libya
- Morocco
- Tunisia
- Algeria
- Mauritania
- Somalia
- Djibouti
- Comoros
- Eritrea

Arab Maghreb Union
Arab Maghreb Union
The Arab Maghreb Union is a trade agreement aiming for economic and some sort of future political unity in North Africa between the countries Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania...
- Algeria
- Libya
- Mauritania
- Morocco
- Tunisia

Community of Sahel-Saharan States
Community of Sahel-Saharan States
CEN-SAD or the Community of Sahel-Saharan States aims to create a free trade area...
- Libya
- Burkina Faso
- Mali
- Niger
- Chad
- Sudan
- Central African Republic
- Eritrea
- Djibouti
- The Gambia
- Senegal
- Benin
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Egypt
- Ghana
- Guinea-Bissau
- Liberia
- Morocco
- Nigeria
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- Togo
- Tunisia

Conseil de l'Entente
Conseil de l'Entente
The Conseil de l'Entente is a West African regional co-operation forum established in May 1959 by Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Upper Volta and Dahomey The Conseil de l'Entente ("Council of Accord" or "Council of Understanding") is a West African regional co-operation forum established in May 1959 by...
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Niger
- Togo

Economic

Greater Arab Free Trade Area
- Algeria
- Egypt
- Libya
- Morocco
- Sudan
- Tunisia

Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries
Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries
The Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries is a sub-regional organization with multiple vocation created by the signing of the Agreement of Gisenyi in Rwanda on September 20, 1976, aiming at insuring the safety of member states, at favoring the creation and the development of activities of...
- Burundi
- D.R. Congo
- Rwanda

G20 developing nations
G20 developing nations
The G20 is a bloc of developing nations established on 20 August 2003. Distinct and separate from the G-20 major economies, the group emerged at the 5th Ministerial WTO conference, held in Cancún, Mexico, from 10 September to 14 September 2003...
- Nigeria
- South Africa
- Tanzania
- Zimbabwe

G20 industrial nations
G20 industrial nations
The Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors is a group of finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 major economies: 19 countries plus the European Union, which is represented by the President of the European Council and by the European Central Bank...
- South Africa

G33
- Benin
- Botswana
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Kenya
- Mauritius
- Madagascar
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe

G90
G90
The G90, otherwise known as the Group of 90, is an alliance between the poorest and smallest developing countries, many of whom are part of the World Trade Organization...
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Rep. Congo
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Gabon
- the Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- South Africa
- Swaziland
- Tanzania
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe

Group of 77
Group of 77
The Group of 77 at the United Nations is a loose coalition of developing nations, designed to promote its members' collective economic interests and create an enhanced joint negotiating capacity in the United Nations. There were 77 founding members of the organization, but the organization has...
- Algeria
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Republic of the Congo
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger,
- Nigeria
- Rwanda
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Tanzania
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe

Indian Ocean Commission
Indian Ocean Commission
The Indian Ocean Commission , known as the Commission de l'Océan Indien in French, is an intergovernmental organization that joins Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, France , and the Seychelles together to encourage cooperation. It was started in January 1984 under the General Victoria Agreement...
- Comoros
- Madagascar
- Mauritius
- Seychelles

Liptako-Gourma Authority
Liptako-Gourma Authority
The Liptako–Gourma Authority is a regional organization seeking to develop the contiguous areas of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.Created in December 1970, the Authority has as its goal the promotion of the areas mineral, energy, hydraulic, and agricultural resources within a regional framework...
- Burkina Faso,
- Mali
- Niger

Mano River Union
Mano River Union
The Mano River Union is an international association established in 1973 between Liberia and Sierra Leone. In 1980, Guinea joined the union. The goal of the Union was to foster economic cooperation among the countries...
- Guinea
- Liberia
- Sierra Leone

OPEC
OPEC
OPEC is an intergovernmental organization of twelve developing countries made up of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. OPEC has maintained its headquarters in Vienna since 1965, and hosts regular meetings...
- Algeria
- Libya
- Nigeria

Linguistic

Community of Portuguese Language Countries
- Angola
- Cape Verde
- Guinea-Bissau
- Mozambique
- São Tomé and Príncipe

Organization of Ibero-American States
Organization of Ibero-American States
The Organization of Ibero-American States is an intergovernmental organization, comprising the Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking nations of America and Europe, plus Equatorial Guinea in Africa....
- Equatorial Guinea

Religious

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
- Algeria
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Chad
- Comoros
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Libya
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Sudan
- Somalia
- Tunisia
- Uganda

Diplomatic missions

The African Union maintains special diplomatic representation with the United States

Ambassadors from the United States

This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to individual nations of the world, to international organizations, to past nations, and ambassadors-at-large.Ambassadors are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate...

and the European Union

European Union Special Representative

The European Union Special Representatives are emissaries of the European Union with specific tasks abroad. While the EU's ambassadors are responsible for affairs with a single country, Special Representatives tackle specific issues, conflict areas or regions of countries...

Response to crises and conflicts

Possibly the most pressing issue facing Africa in terms of humanitarian crises is the Darfur Conflict
Darfur conflict
The Darfur Conflict was a guerrilla conflict or civil war centered on the Darfur region of Sudan. It began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and Justice and Equality Movement groups in Darfur took up arms, accusing the Sudanese government of oppressing non-Arab Sudanese in...

. International response to the Darfur conflict
International response to the Darfur conflict
While there is a consensus in the international community that ethnic groups have been targeted and that crimes against humanity have therefore occurred, there has been debate in some quarters about whether genocide has taken place...

has been varied and inadequate to stop the violence in Southern Sudan. The AU has created a Mission
African Union Mission in Sudan
The African Union Mission in Sudan was an African Union peacekeeping force operating primarily in the country's western region of Darfur with the aim of performing peacekeeping operations related to the Darfur conflict. Originally founded in 2004, with a force of 150 troops, by mid-2005, its...

to the territory, and worked to help solve
Mediation of the Chadian-Sudanese conflict
Mediation of the Chadian-Sudanese conflict began shortly after the government of Chad declared an "état de belligérance", or 'state of belligerency' with Sudan. on December 23, 2005. The BBC translated "belligérance" as "war"...

the associated Chadian-Sudanese conflict
Chadian-Sudanese conflict
The civil war in Chad began in December 2005. Since its independence from France in 1960, Chad has been swamped by the civil war between the Arab-Muslims of the north and the Sub-Saharan-Christians of the south. As a result, leadership and presidency in Chad drifted back and forth between the...

. Due to the ratification of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1706
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1706
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1706, adopted on August 31, 2006, after recalling previous resolutions on the situation in Sudan, including resolutions 1556 , 1564 , 1574 , 1590 , 1591 , 1593 , 1663 , 1665 and 1679 , the Council expanded the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the...

, the precise role of the Union in Sudan may change to a closer collaboration with UN forces.
The AU helped to coordinate the donations of individual member states' to Indonesia after its devastating 2004 tsunami
Humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was prompted by one of the worst natural disasters of modern times. On 26 December 2004, the earthquake, which struck off the northwest coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, generated a tsunami that wreaked havoc along much of the...

.
The AU's predecessor, the Organisation for African Unity (OAU) played a role in saving innocent life
Role of the international community in the Rwandan Genocide
This article details the role of the international community in the Rwandan Genocide.-Belgium:Belgium was the last colonial power in Rwanda, and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda was initially mostly composed of Belgian soldiers, until they were withdrawn...

during the Rwandan Genocide
Rwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass murder of an estimated 800,000 people in the small East African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of approximately 100 days through mid-July, over 500,000 people were killed, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate...

.
The AU as a body
Governments' positions pre-2003 invasion of Iraq
This article describes the positions of world governments before the actual initiation of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and not their current positions as they may have changed since then-Background:...

and most of its constituent states condemned the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

-led 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...

. In broader Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...

issues, the Union is an observer with the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

's Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People was founded in 1975 by resolution 3376 of the United Nations General Assembly...

.
The AU has played a secondary role in conflicts in Côte d'Ivoire
Civil war in Côte d'Ivoire
The Ivorian Civil War was a conflict in Côte d'Ivoire that began on 19 September 2002. Although most of the fighting ended by late 2004, the country remains split in two, with a rebel-held north and a government-held south. Hostility increased and raids on foreign troops and civilians rose...

and Liberia
United Nations Mission in Liberia
The United Nations Mission in Liberia is a peace-keeping force established in September 2003 to monitor a ceasefire agreement in Liberia following the resignation of President Charles Taylor and the conclusion of the Second Liberian Civil War....

. It also served to ratify results in the Democratic Republic of the Congo general election, 2006
Democratic Republic of the Congo general election, 2006
General elections were held in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on July 30, 2006, the first multiparty elections in the country in 41 years. Voters went to the polls to elect both a new President of the Republic and a new National Assembly, the lower-house of the Parliament.The polls were...

.
In March, 2008 an AU force stabilized Comoros
Comoros
The Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar...

by taking control of separatist forces on Anjouan
Anjouan
Anjouan is an autonomous island, part of the Union of Comoros. The island is located in the Indian Ocean. Its capital is Mutsamudu and its population as of 2006 is about 277,500. The total area of the island is 424 sq. kilometers Anjouan (also known as Ndzuwani or Nzwani) is an autonomous island,...

.

Foreign relations of constituent states

Algeria
Foreign relations of Algeria
Algeria has traditionally practiced an activist foreign policy. In the 1960s and 1970s, Algeria was noted for its support of Third World policies and independence movements.- President Bouteflika :...
Angola
Foreign relations of Angola
The foreign relations of Angola are based on Angola's strong support of U.S. foreign policy as the Angolan economy is dependent on U.S. foreign aid.From 1975 to 1989, Angola was aligned with the Eastern bloc, in particular the Soviet Union, Libya, and Cuba...
Benin
Foreign relations of Benin
After seizing power in 1972 Major Mathieu Kérékou declared Dahomey a Marxist-Leninist state and sought financial support from communist governments in Eastern Europe and Asia. To distance the modern state from its colonial past, the country became the People's Republic of Benin in 1975...
Botswana
Foreign relations of Botswana
Botswana has put a premium on economic and political integration in southern Africa. It has sought to make SADC a working vehicle for economic development, and it has promoted efforts to make the region self-policing in terms of preventative diplomacy, conflict resolution, and good governance. It...
Burkina Faso
Foreign relations of Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso has good relations with the European Union, African, and Asian countries. France, the former colonial power, in particular, continues to provide significant aid and supports Compaoré's developing role as a regional powerbroker...
Burundi
Foreign relations of Burundi
Burundi's relations with its neighbours have often been affected by security concerns. Hundreds of thousands of Burundian refugees have at various times crossed to neighboring Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians are in neighboring...
Cameroon
Foreign relations of Cameroon
Cameroon's noncontentious, low-profile approach to foreign relations puts it squarely in the middle of other African and developing country states on major issues. It supports the principles of noninterference in the affairs of third world countries and increased assistance to underdeveloped...
Cape Verde
Foreign relations of Cape Verde
Cape Verde follows a policy of nonalignment and seeks cooperative relations with all friendly states. Angola, Brazil, the People's Republic of China, Cuba, France, Germany, Portugal, Senegal, Russia, and the United States maintain embassies in Praia....
Central African Republic
Foreign relations of the Central African Republic
President François Bozizé says that one of his priorities is to get the support of the international community". This has indeed been visible in his relations to donor countries and international organisations...
Chad
Foreign relations of Chad
The Foreign relations of Chad are motivated primarily by the desire for outside investment in Chadian industry and support for Chadian President Idriss Déby. Chad is officially non-aligned but has close relations with France, the former colonial power. Relations with neighbouring Libya, and Sudan...
Comoros
Foreign relations of Comoros
In November 1975, Comoros became the 143rd member of the United Nations. The new nation was defined as consisting of the entire archipelago, despite the fact that France maintains control over Mayotte.- Overview :...
D. R. Congo
Foreign relations of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Its location in the center of Africa has made the Democratic Republic of the Congo a key player in the region since independence. Because of its size, mineral wealth, and strategic location, Zaire was able to capitalize on Cold War tensions to garner support from the West...
Rep. of the Congo
Foreign relations of the Republic of the Congo
For the two decades preceding the Republic of the Congo's 1991 National Conference, the country was firmly in the socialist camp, allied principally with the Soviet Union and other Eastern bloc nations...
Côte d'Ivoire
Foreign relations of Côte d'Ivoire
Throughout the Cold War, Côte d'Ivoire's foreign policy was generally favorable toward the West. In particular, Félix Houphouët-Boigny kept relations with France that was among the closest between any African country and a former colonial power. The country became a member of the United Nations at...
Djibouti
Foreign relations of Djibouti
Foreign relations with the government of Djibouti are maintained by the Djiboutian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.Links with Arab states and East Asian states, Japan and People's Republic of China in particular, are welcome....
Egypt
Foreign relations of Egypt
Egypt's foreign policy operates along a non-aligned level. Factors such as population size, historical events, military strength, diplomatic expertise and a strategic geographical position give Egypt extensive political influence in the Middle East, Africa, and within the Non-Aligned Movement as a...
Equatorial Guinea
Foreign relations of Equatorial Guinea
A transitional agreement, signed in October 1968, implemented a Spanish preindependence decision to assist Equatorial Guinea and provided for the temporary maintenance of Spanish forces there. A dispute with President Macias in 1969 led to a request that all Spanish troops immediately depart, and a...
Eritrea
Foreign relations of Eritrea
Eritrea is a member of the African Union , the successor of the Organization of African Unity and is an observing member of the Arab League. But it has withdrawn its representative to the AU in protest of what they clame is the AU's lack of leadership in the implementation of the demarcation the...

Ethiopia
Foreign relations of Ethiopia
Like many states in sub-Saharan Africa, Ethiopia was relatively isolated from other countries not immediately adjacent to it, until well into the 19th century...
Gabon
Foreign relations of Gabon
Gabon has followed a non-aligned policy, advocating dialogue in international affairs and recognizing both parts of divided countries. Since 1973, the number of countries establishing diplomatic relations with Gabon has doubled...
The Gambia
Foreign relations of the Gambia
The Gambia followed a formal policy of non-alignment throughout most of former President Jawara's tenure. It maintained close relations with the United Kingdom, Senegal, and other African countries. The July 1994 coup strained The Gambia's relationship with Western powers, particularly the United...
Ghana
Foreign relations of Ghana
Ghana is active in the United Nations and many of its specialized agencies, the World Trade Organization, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of African Unity , what is now is the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States...
Guinea
Foreign relations of Guinea
The foreign relations of Guinea, including those with its West African neighbors, have improved steadily since 1985. Guinea reestablished relations with France and West Germany in 1975, and with neighboring Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal in 1978...
Guinea-Bissau
Foreign relations of Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau follows a nonaligned foreign policy and seeks friendly and cooperative relations with a wide variety of states and organizations...
Kenya
Foreign relations of Kenya
Kenya maintains a neutral profile in global politics. It has excellent relations with China, India, Russia and Brazil. Its relations with Western countries are generally friendly, although current political and economic instabilities are often blamed on Western activities Kenya maintains a neutral...
Lesotho
Foreign relations of Lesotho
Lesotho's geographic location makes it extremely vulnerable to political and economic developments in South Africa. It is a member of many regional economic organizations including the Southern African Development Community and the Southern African Customs Union...
Liberia
Foreign relations of Liberia
Liberian foreign relations were traditionally stable and cordial throughout much of the 19th and 20th centuries. During the 1990s, Charles Taylor's presidency and the First and Second Liberian Civil Wars underscored Liberian relations with the Western world, the People's Republic of China, and its...
Libya
Foreign relations of Libya
The foreign relations of Libya under Gaddafi underwent much fluctuation and change. They were marked by severe tension with the West and by Gaddafi's activist policies in the Middle East and Africa, including his financial and military support for...
Madagascar
Foreign relations of Madagascar
-Regional Relations:Madagascar historically has remained outside the mainstream of African affairs, although it is a member of the Indian Ocean Commission, the Organization of African Unity and the Non-Aligned Movement...
Malawi
Foreign relations of Malawi
Malawi's former President Bakili Muluzi continued the pro-Western foreign policy established by former President Hastings Banda. It maintains excellent diplomatic relations with principal Western countries. Malawi's close relations with South Africa throughout the apartheid era strained its...
Mali
Foreign relations of Mali
Following independence in 1960, Mali initially followed a socialist path and was aligned ideologically with the communist bloc. But Mali's foreign policy orientation became increasingly pragmatic and pro-Western over time. Since the institution of a democratic form of government in 2002, Mali's...
Mauritania
Foreign relations of Mauritania
The foreign relations of The Islamic Republic of Mauritania have been dominated since independence by the issues of the Spanish Sahara as well as recognition of its independence by its neighbours, particularly Morocco...
Mauritius
Foreign relations of Mauritius
Mauritius has strong and friendly relations with the West, as well as with India and the countries of southern and eastern Africa. It is a member of the World Trade Organization, the Commonwealth of Nations, La Francophonie, the African Union, the Southern Africa Development Community, the Indian...
Mozambique
Foreign relations of Mozambique
While allegiances dating back to the liberation struggle remain relevant, Mozambique's foreign policy has become increasingly pragmatic. The twin pillars of the policy are maintenance of good relations with its neighbors and maintenance and expansion of ties to development partners.During the 1970s...
Namibia
Foreign relations of Namibia
Namibia follows a largely independent foreign policy, with strong affiliations with states that aided the independence struggle, including Libya and Cuba....
Niger
Foreign relations of Niger
Niger pursues a moderate foreign policy and maintains friendly relations with both East and West. It belongs to the United Nations. Niger maintains a special relationship with France and enjoys close relations with its West African neighbours....

Nigeria
Foreign relations of Nigeria
Since independence, with Jaja Wachuku as the first Minister of Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Relations, later called External Affairs, Nigerian foreign policy has been characterized by a focus on Africa as a Regional power and by attachment to several fundamental principles: African unity and...
Rwanda
Foreign relations of Rwanda
Rwanda has been the center of much international attention since the war and genocide of 1994. Rwanda is an active member of the United Nations, having presided over the Security Council during part of 1995. The UN assistance mission in Rwanda, a UN chapter 6 peace-keeping operation, involved...
São Tomé and Príncipe
Foreign relations of São Tomé and Príncipe
Until independence in 1975, São Tomé and Príncipe had few ties abroad except those that passed through Portugal. Following independence, the new government sought to expand its diplomatic relationships. A common language, tradition, and colonial experience have led to close collaboration between...
Senegal
Foreign relations of Senegal
President Léopold Senghor advocated close relations with France and negotiation and compromise as the best means of resolving international differences. To a large extent, the two succeeding Presidents have carried on Senghor's policies and philosophies...
Seychelles
Foreign relations of Seychelles
Seychelles follows a policy of what it describes as "positive" nonalignment and strongly supports the principle of reduced superpower presence in the Indian Ocean. The Seychelles government is one of the proponents of the Indian Ocean zone of peace concept and it has promoted an end to the United...
Sierra Leone
Foreign relations of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone maintains formal relations with many Western nations. It also maintains diplomatic relations with the former Soviet Bloc countries as well as with the People's Republic of China. Former President Stevens' government had sought closer relations with West African countries under the...
Somalia
Foreign relations of Somalia
Foreign relations of Somalia are handled primarily by the President as the head of state, the Prime Minister as the head of government, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Transitional Federal Government....
South Africa
Foreign relations of South Africa
The foreign relations of South Africa have spanned from the country's time as Dominion and later Realm of the British Empire to its isolationist policies under Apartheid to its position as a responsible international actor taking a key role in Africa....
Guinea
Foreign relations of Guinea
The foreign relations of Guinea, including those with its West African neighbors, have improved steadily since 1985. Guinea reestablished relations with France and West Germany in 1975, and with neighboring Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal in 1978...
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Sudan
Foreign relations of Sudan
The foreign relations of Sudan are generally in line with the Muslim Arab world, but are also based on Sudan's economic ties with the People's Republic of China and Western Europe.-Chad:...
Swaziland
Foreign relations of Swaziland
Swaziland is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the African Union, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Southern African Development Community...
Togo
Foreign relations of Togo
Although Togo's foreign policy is nonaligned, it has strong historical and cultural ties with western Europe, especially France and Germany. Togo recognizes the People's Republic of China, North Korea, and Cuba. It re-established relations with Israel in 1987....
Tunisia
Foreign relations of Tunisia
Former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has maintained Tunisia's long-time policy of seeking good relations with the West, while playing an active role in Arab and African regional bodies...
Uganda
Foreign relations of Uganda
Uganda is landlocked and depends on foreign imports for most of its consumer goods and energy requirements. Even before independence, maintaining an open trade route to the Indian Ocean was the primary foreign policy objective of all governments...
Zambia
Foreign relations of Zambia
After independence in 1964 the foreign relations of Zambia were mostly focused on supporting liberation movements in other countries in Southern Africa, such as the African National Congress and SWAPO...
Zimbabwe
Foreign relations of Zimbabwe
The foreign relations of Zimbabwe emphasize a close relationship with the People's Republic of China and South Africa, nations with close economic ties to Zimbabwe.-People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union:...