The Cold War was a phenomenon of the 20th century in which the USA and the USSR split the world into antagonistic camps and waged an ideological and political warfare through propaganda, economic measures, and the creation of rival alliances. International relations in this period were marked by competition and confrontation. The emergence and development of the Cold War coincided with the two defining moments of modern African history: the rise of nationalist movements and the decolonization of the continent from the 1960s onwards. As a result, Africa had mixed reactions to the Cold War which resulted in some African political elites aligning and/or realigning their relationship with foreign actors. Countries such as Kenya and Nigeria maintained their partnership with the capitalist world while others like Ethiopia, Angola, and Mozambique envisioned building socialist states with in cooperation with the Eastern Bloc. At the same time, a number of newly independent African states rejected any renewed domination by foreigners and joined the Non-aligned Movement.

During the Cold War, global powers employed military threats, economic pressure and diplomatic inducements to obtain political allegiance and maintain leverage over African states. They intervened in African affairs by way of empowering clients to undermine their political and/or ideological foes. The four largest armies in sub-Saharan Africa, those of Nigeria, Zaire, Ethiopia and Somalia, were built through military assistance provided by the USA and USSR. As a result, the Cold War was not really cold in Africa. The Horn of Africa was one of the epicenters of armed confrontation in the Cold War. The region drew international interest due to its strategic location, ethnic and religious diversity, and economic potential. Embattled by international and regional forces and actors, the Horn was distinguished by numerous conflicts and civil wars, intermittent famines and massive migrations, political instability and even state collapse.

The conclusion of the Cold War has led to a redefinition and reconfiguration of international relations and Africa’s place within it. In the immediate aftermath, the end of Soviet economic and political support destabilized many African client states including Ethiopia. The victorious USA also exhibited a significant reduction in interest and a shift in its policies over the continent, from a focus on ‘good governance’ to the pursuit of liberal democracy. Furthermore, in recent times, there has been a marked revival of the competition for hegemony between old and new foreign powers in Africa. New contenders with new strategies and policies have appeared on the African scene. China is now a visible presence among major international players in Africa, but other nations including India, Japan, the Middle Eastern countries, and a reformed Russia are also vying for the favor of African states.

In general, the interplay between colonial legacies, Cold War spheres of influence politics and impositions, post-Cold War economic competitions, and post-September 11 bid to combat terror has shaped the political characteristics of the African continent. Change and continuity are, thus, incumbent in Africa’s relations with foreign actors and are addressed in the Conference “Africa and the Global Cold War II” by bringing in for analysis the concepts, theories and methodologies offered by disciplines such as history and political science. This conference, “Africa and the Global Cold War II,” builds from an earlier event organized jointly by Mekelle and Erfurt universities that was held in July 2018 in Erfurt, Germany.1

Contact and registration: Dr. Aychegrew Hadera Hailu, aychegrewhad@yahoo.ca

1 Philipp Metzler, Tagungsbericht: Africa and the Global Cold War, 05.07.2018 – 06.07.2018 Erfurt, in: H-Soz-Kult, 22.01.2019, <www.hsozkult.de/conferencereport/id/tagungsberichte-8061>.