African Diplomacy: The Un Experience

African Diplomacy: The UN Experience deals with some of the many issues, affecting Africa, which came before the United Nations in the immediate, post-independence period. Of major importance were the establishment of the Economic Commission for Africa, and the revocation of the Mandate which conferred on South Africa responsibility for the administration of the Trusteeship Territory of South West Africa. The book also deals with some policy issues not strictly within the ambit of the United Nations, but which were of special international significance, such as the interminable controversy regarding Chinese representation in the United Nations (1950-1967), the Commonwealth initiative to end the conflict in Vietnam, and the complexities of multilateral diplomacy. The final chapter "Reflections on Some Contemporary Issues" discusses current issues of topical interest, including the effect of the Cold War on diplomatic practice, globalization, economic development, foreign aid, peacekeeping, and the failure of party politics in Africa. While the episodes dealt with in the book are not all in strict chronological order, they have been arranged to enable the flow of the narrative without departing unduly from the general chronology of the events.