2024 Publications & Works

African Agency in Democracy Promotion: The African Union and Election Observation in Malawi

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-5-2023

Publication Title

Journal of Southern African Studies

Abstract

The African Union is emerging as a prominent actor in election assistance and observation. Considering the continued centrality of the electoral process to democracy-building efforts in Africa, African continental and regional organisations are increasingly monitoring elections and taking the lead in election observation processes across the continent. This paper contributes to the African agency literature by showing how agency is operationalised and implemented through international election observation. Focusing on Malawi’s recent electoral history (2004–2020), this paper argues that the African Union is institutionalising its election observation protocols and challenging the dominant position of western international actors, through enacting the role and agency of continental and regional actors. It critically assesses the African Union’s ability to undertake these efforts and how it has addressed elections, and the politics surrounding them.

Keywords

political agency, election observation, international organisations, African Union

Volume

49

Issue

2

First Page

247

Last Page

263

DOI

10.1080/03057070.2023.2238561

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