Bertrand Michel Pamfouet Kemtie(Non-)Signature and Ratification of Multilateral Regional Agreements

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(Non-)signature and ratification of multilateral treaties has become a major policy concern. Its relevance to the African Union is rising since the 66th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers. Even though scholars have discussed how domestic factors and state’s openness shape treaty approval, the behavior of African states has been hitherto ignored. The author shows that Africa’s omission from international relations’ research is ill-informed, scientifically mistaken and heavily biased. Drawing on liberalism, rational choice theory and constructivism, he illustrates through an innovative mixed methods design how Africa can be useful for reviewing and testing conventional knowledge about international relations. In doing so, he does not only contribute new answers to the fate of multilateral regional agreements after adoption, but also foster the scientific debate over Africa’s challenge to international relations’ theory.