Three Schools of Thought on “African Solutions to African Problems”

Abstract

The idea of “African solutions to African problems” has enthralled policy makers in Africa and across the globe since the establishment of the African Union (AU) in 2001. The AU was equipped with robust mandates for coordinated solutions to the challenges in the continent unlike its predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). While the maxim is employed in various policy discourses, there is limited consensus on what African solutions entail, especially in peace and security where the discourse dominates. Using the theoretical framework of constructivism, this article advances the debate by delineating three schools of thought—agency, indigenous, and innovative perspectives—on what constitute “African solutions.” The variances in these outlooks highlight the extensive view of “African solutions” and the multipronged ideas about Africa’s mechanisms and substantive values that could solve regional issues, and by extension, global challenges.