European Union's policies towards Africa as a normative power

While the European Union's position and power in the global world order is explained, the civilian, military and the normative power dimensions are compared and the European Union is defined and placed in a different position than other actors. While François Duchene considers the European Union as a global actor comprising civilian power components in international relations, Ian Manners asserted the European Union as a normative power based on values such as universal human rights and democracy. While the EU tackles with its own economic, social and political challenges in order to sustain as a significant actor in the international system, it maintains dynamism in its foreing policy by regulating its relations with the neighbours vis-à-vis the opportunities and challenges arising from globalisation. Since the revision of the Cotonou Agreement in 2005, the EU particularly carries out its relations with Africa in the framework of political dialogue and strategic partnership and continues to attach significance to improving political relations with the Continent. Notably, the EU felt the need to increase its existence in Africa owing to the fact that some other global and regional economic forces became more interested in the Continent in the recent years. Furthermore, security matters such as terror, irregular migration, arms and drug trafficking emanating from Africa places the Continent in the upper parts of EU's foreign policy agenda. In this thesis, especially the impact of the legal and institutional arrangements of the strategic partnership of the EU with Africa; and the roles undertaken by the non institutional actors in the relations between the two continents are considered. It is concluded that the European Union must draw upon its normative power actively and efficiently in order to perpetuate its role as an outstanding global actor in Africa. Keywords: European Union, Normative Power, EU-Africa Relations, ExternalRelations of the EU