RAS History & PhilologyАзия и Африка сегодня Asia and Africa Today

  • ISSN (Print) 0321-5075
  • ISSN (Online) 2782-2389

South Africa's and Nigeria's Activities at the UN: Quest for Leadership in Africa

PII
S27822389S0321507525110088-1
DOI
10.7868/S2782238925110088
Publication type
Article
Status
Published
Authors
Volume/ Edition
Volume / Issue number 11
Pages
75-82
Abstract
The article offers a comparative analysis of South Africa's and Nigeria's foreign policy behaviour at the United Nations, viewed through the lens of their regional leadership ambitions. The author proposes a three-pronged approach to the analysis, combining quantitative assessment of voting practices in the General Assembly, content analysis of addresses to the UNGA and an exploration of country-specific priorities, strategies and partnerships within the Security Council. The study suggests that South Africa acts more assertively across UN structures, advancing both the pan-African agenda and its own diplomatic initiatives. Pretoria effectively balances regional interests with those of key external partners, thereby reinforcing its image as a continental leader. Nigeria, by contrast, tends to focus on issues linked to domestic challenges or its immediate subregional context. This inward orientation limits Abuja's potential to articulate broader African interests on the global stage. The divergence in approaches highlights South Africa's comparative advantage in using multilateral diplomacy to strengthen its leadership position within Africa and expand its international influence through the UN system.
Keywords
ЮАР Нигерия ООН региональное лидерство Африка
Date of publication
19.12.2025
Year of publication
2025
Number of purchasers
0
Views
14

References

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