Rethinking the Role of International Civil Service on Sustainable Development in Africa: Issues, Challenges and the Way Forward

Abstract

International civil servants are expected to provide leadership that could translate into practical gains for all human societies across the globe. They are to use their creative talents, knowledge and experience to bring these goals to pass in the life of the people of the world, particularly in developing countries. While they have embraced these goals, the extent to which they have accomplished them is still a matter of debate. Therefore, within the framework of structural-agency theory, the paper examined international civil service (ICS) and sustainable development in Africa with the aim of identifying issues, challenges and the way forward. The article employed the methods of qualitative research design as well as exploratory and descriptive perspectives. The researchers also consulted different sources to ensure quality of the article. Subsequently, relevant sources of this research were fairly and professionally scrutinised, understood and tested with the available literature for the purpose of the research. Inter alia, it included scan-reading, comprehensive and critical reading and writing down ideas. Authoritative scholarly sources were reviewed, during a desktop study. The aim was to identify the relevant publications and apply them in the research. This article argues that international civil servants are expected as a philosophy to pursue the corporate interests of the people rather than their own personal or group interests. This is why they are fondly called servants of the state and the world community respectively. However, it appears personal and group interests have found its way into common interest. It concludes that if the ICS is to make any impact on the campaign for rapid socio-economic development of the world, the ICSs need to be proactive and interventionist in order to arrest the increasing decline in socio-economic and political development across the globe and most especially in Africa.