Editor's introduction]: The Changing Face of Africa

Abstract

The Changing Face of Africa John Doyle Institute for International Conflict Resolution and Reconstruction, Dublin City University This issue of Irish Studies in International Affairs opens with a series of articles on the subject of 'the changing face of Africa', drawing primarily on papers presented at the annual conference of the Royal Irish Academy's Committee for International Affairs, held in Dublin in May 2013 on that theme, and organised to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity in May 1963. The changing nature of politics, economics and international relations in Africa was highlighted in the 2012 issue of Irish Studies in International Affairs, in an article by Eileen Connolly and Aurelie Sicard exploring policy papers from Irish Aid and the UK equivalent, the Department for International Development, in the period immediately before and after the 2007 financial crash and the concurrent rise in China's economic links with Africa. That paper highlighted a significant shift in discourse over the time studied, and in particular reflected much more positive attitudes to African governments and Africa's social and economic prospects.1 This forms a useful backdrop to the decision by the Academy Committee for International Affairs to hold the 2013 conference on the theme of change in Africa. The shift in international discourse on Africa has been dramatic. While many stereotypes remain in both the popular media and in policy discourse, it is much more difficult now to write about Africa in an exclusively narrow, negative manner. The complexity and diversity of the continent is more acknowledged. After decades of being treated solely as an 'aid project', Africa has regained its place as a continent in Western writing. Moreover, the significant shift in the number of positive mentions of Africa in public policy documents in Ireland and the UK in recent years (examples of a wider international trend) has increased awareness of the vibrancy of African societies and the significant number of African countries seeing strong economic growth. The Economist estimated that over the ten years to 2010, six of the world's ten fastest-growing economies were in sub-Saharan Africa.2 Challenges without a doubt remain, around poverty and insecurity in particular, but decades of negative and uniform stereotypes actually made those challenges more difficult to deal with, rather than helping to resolve them. 'Eileen Connolly and Aurelie Sicard, 'Responding to China - changing donor discourse and perspectives on Africa?', Irish Studies in International Affairs l'i (2013), 111-24. 2'Africa's impressive growth', Economist, 6 January 201 1, online issue, available at: http://www. economist.com/blogs/dailychart/201 l/01/daily_chart (230ctober 2013). Irish Studies in International Affairs, Vol. 24 (2013), 1-6. doi: 10.331 8. ISIA.2013.24.20 2 Irish Studies in International Affairs New challenges are also emerging in Africa. Economic growth is in inequality in many countries. Climate change and consequent water sh or less predictable weather patterns, are increasing land pressures i regions, creating conflict between land users. Investment from China an new donors is welcomed by African governments, for the emp opportunities or trade income it brings, along with the greater aut those countries enjoy as a consequence of a reduction in aid dependen is also leading to intercultural conflict and resentment in some places. W an overall level, there are fewer armed conflicts on the continent com the situation in earlier decades, new forms of civil conflict are also emer particular due to the spill-over effects of conflict in North Africa consequences of counter-insurgency operations against militant groups. The traditional donor community of the OECD also needs to adjust to a new Africa. Aid programmes, while continuing to be very important, no longer provide the leverage over African governments that they once did. African governments are correctly arguing that the balance of accountability needs to tilt towards their own parliaments and peoples and not be so exclusively focused on external actors. OECD states, at a time of recession or low growth for most of them, are finding it difficult to provide attractive investment opportunities to African states, to compete with the new international strategies of the BRIC states, and indeed...