Host nations and international organisations: assessing the power dynamics between the African Union and Ethiopia

Abstract

This study investigates the power dynamics between host nations and international organisations (IOs), with a focus on Ethiopia and the African Union (AU). The study explores how Ethiopia’s role as the AU host nation might have potentially influenced the AU’s slow and delayed responses to two of Ethiopia’s political issues, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute and the Tigray conflict. The study makes references to other host-IO relationships, like the United States (US) and the United Nations (UN), and Belgium and the European Union (EU), to offer wider insights into the relations between host nations and the IOs they host. Two theories are used in this study: classical realism, to highlight Ethiopia’s state-centric pursuit of power, national interests, and self-help with its unilateral approach in the GERD negotiations and offensive actions in the Tigray conflict. Liberal institutionalism is used to highlight the vital role the AU plays in fostering cooperation in these two issues. To understand how Ethiopia’s role shapes the AU’s responses to these two issues, this qualitative desktop study analyses secondary data sources, such as academic literature, and official and media reports, through content analysis