Embracing social media as a tool for e-diplomacy in the Africa Union

Abstract

Electronic diplomacy (E-diplomacy) is not a new concept in many African countries. Many Foreign ministries in Africa have already adopted social media and other digital diplomacy tools to reach out to millions of people across the continent and the world. E-diplomacy has become a special component in conducting diplomatic missions. This dissertation reviewed and documented the usage of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and other digital diplomacy tools in the African Union (AU). The study established that little research has been conducted on the effect of e-diplomacy on the African continent as compared to other continents. The study adopted a qualitative research approach to comparatively review existing literature on e-diplomacy across the world. With Africa’s high Internet penetration and accessibility to smart phone devices, AU has great opportunity to use digital diplomacy tools to manage conflicts, uphold human rights, respond to emergencies and share information to the African diaspora. The study established that the Africa Union is actively using social media and updated website as a tool for information dissemination. However, there is room for more research on e-diplomacy within the African Union and the African continent at large.