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The paper examines the extent to which Pan-Africanism and Pan-African vision of promoting African unity, cooperation and integration has been achieved under the African Union (AU) in the 21st century. It also assesses the challenges of cooperation and integration under the AU. The paper adopted a qualitative approach, while data was gathered from secondary sources and analysed thematically. It notes that the quest for African cooperation and integration is not new, but dates back to philosophy and vision of Pan-Africanism and Pan-African movement from the 1950s and 1960s. This movement later took roots in the continent and championed the struggle of Africans and peoples of African descent for emancipation and the restoration of their dignity, against slavery, colonialism and all forms of racism and racial exploitation, and to overcome developmental challenges. After independence, the Pan-African movement found concrete expression in the establishment of the Organization of Africa Unity (OAU) in 1963, and later transformed to the African Union (AU) in 2002. These continental organisations have served at platforms for the pursuit of Africa cooperation and integration and addressing post-independence challenges with varying successes. The paper revealed that AU's Pan-African agenda in the 21st century including the African Economic Community (AEC), AU Agenda 2063, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), are not without challenges. Addressing these challenges holds the key to achieving the continental goal of unity and achieving the vision and goals pan-Africanism in the 21st century in Africa.

While engagement with the Nigerian diaspora has focused on attractinginvestment and remittances, recently, attention has also shifted to its contributionto the development of higher education. The descriptive andqualitative study on which this article is based drew on secondary datathat was analysed through content analysis. The findings revealed that acombination of factors motivated Nigerians, including intellectuals, toemigrate, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s. This compounded existingproblems in Nigeria's higher education sector. Since 1999, successive governmentshave engaged the diaspora in national development, includinghigher education. The study found that through the Linkages with Expertsand Academics in the Diaspora Scheme, the United Nations DevelopmentProgramme's Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals, andthe World Bank assisted Nelson Mandela Institution, known as the AfricanUniversity of Science and Technology, as well as alumni associations inthe diaspora, Nigerian diaspora academics have been returning home totransfer knowledge in universities. Other contributions include projects,donations, and programmes. However, several challenges constrain thetapping of their full potential. The article recommends that the Nigeriangovernment should create an enabling environment, ensure clarity ofexpectations, provide adequate funding and adopt long-term approaches toengage with the Nigerian academic diaspora. Key Words: Nigerian diaspora, higher education, brain-drain, brain-gain,knowledge transfer

Intro -- Foreword -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- Contents -- Notes on Contributors -- Abbreviations -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- Part I: Introduction -- Chapter 1: Introduction: Reflections on 60 Years of Nigeria's Foreign Policy -- Historical Emergence on the World Stage and Foundation of Nigerian Foreign Policy -- From Post-civil War Pan-African Engagements to Foreign Policy Activism -- Strengthening African Solidarity, Promotion of Peace and Stability in Africa -- A Pariah Nation and Shift to Asia -- Shuttle Diplomacy and the Return to Pragmatic Engagement in African and World Affairs -- From Citizens' Diplomacy to Domestic Concerns -- Strengthen Cooperation and Partnerships in the Fight Against Corruption, Insecurity and Economic Rejuvenation -- Scope of the Book -- References -- Part II: The Domestic Dimensions of Nigeria's Foreign Policy and External Relations -- Chapter 2: Bureaucratic Model: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigerian Foreign Policy -- Introduction -- Unbundling the Bureaucratic Model of Decision-Making in Foreign Policy -- Bureaucratizing Foreign Policymaking in Nigeria: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1960-2020 -- Challenges and Policy Action Plans for Stimulating Effective Foreign Policymaking -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 3: Nigerian Foreign Policy and Challenges of Economic Development -- Introduction -- A Conceptual Overview of Economic Development -- State of Economic Development in Nigeria -- Nigeria's Economic Development Objectives -- Foreign Policy and Economic Development -- Challenges to Nigeria's Economic Development: A Discourse -- Management of Democracy and Insecurity -- Corruption -- Leadership -- Infrastructure Deficit -- Conclusion -- References -- Part III: Afrocentricity and the Regional Dimensions of Nigeria's Foreign Policy.

Part 1: Introduction -- Chapter 1: Introduction: understanding Nigeria's foreign policy: reflections on Nigeria's journey so far -- Part 2: The domestic dimensions of Nigeria's foreign policy and external relations -- Chapter 2: Bureaucratic model: the ministry of foreign affairs and Nigerian foreign policy -- Chapter 3: Nigerian foreign policy and challenges of economic development -- Part 3: Afrocentricity and the regional dimensions of Nigeria's foreign policy -- Chapter 4: A critical review of Nigeria's Afrocentric policy: rationale, gains and consequence -- Chapter 5: Natural resource endowment and regional integration in west Africa: the setbacks and implications for Nigerian foreign policy -- Part 4: Nigeria and the global and emerging powers -- Chapter 6: The dynamics and strategic interests in Nigeria-US relations -- Chapter 7: Nigeria-UK relations in the 21st century -- Chapter 8: The foreign policy of emerging big power? Nigeria and china's belt and road initiative -- Chapter 9: Nigeria-South Africa relations: prospects and challenges of a strategic partnership -- Chapter 10: Nigeria-Brazil relations: ties that bind and binds that tie -- Part 5: Contemporary issues and challenges in Nigeria's foreign policy environment -- Chapter 11: Nigeria's foreign policy since independence: problems, challenges and opportunities -- Chapter 12: Nigeria foreign policy in the age of globalization: issues and challenges -- Chapter 13: "Gulliver's Odyssey": assessing Nigeria's role in Ecowas -- Chapter 14: Migration and Nigeria's external relations: a trend analysis of its nature and dynamics in the last 60 years -- Chapter 15: Nigeria's foreign policy and diaspora engagements: the unharnessed strategic asset -- Chapter 16: Climate change and Nigeria's foreign relations -- Chapter 17: Nigeria relations with the organisation of Islamic countries -- Part 6: Conclusion -- Chapter 18: Conclusion: future prospects of Nigeria's foreign policy beyond 60 years of independence: emerging trends and tasks ahead.

Os assuntos africanos contribuem para moldar o mundo, e a África, por sua vez, está sendo moldada pelas dinâmicas dos processos e das estruturas internacionais. A posição e o papel da África na política mundial tem sido objeto de várias interpretações, entre Afro-pessimistas e Afro-otimistas. O objetivo deste artigo é examinar, a partir de uma perspectiva histórica, a África nas relações mundiais, da escravidão ao colonialismo; soberania, Estados africanos e a política mundial; a África e a economia política global; a África e as organizações internacionais, particularmente a ONU; as relações africanas com as potências econômicas tradicionais e emergentes, e o futuro da África na política mundial. Os estudos sobre os assuntos africanos devem levar em consideração a realidade histórica da emergência da África no sistema mundial, sua existência e os elementos de continuidade e de transformação nas relações entre os Estados africanos e o resto do mundo. As relações internacionais da África se expandiram para um engajamento para além das grandes potências, como os Estados Unidos, a Grã-Bretanha e a França, para incluir potências emergentes, como a China e a Índia. Dessa maneira, a narrativa sobre a África está gradualmente mudando de um continente sem esperanças para uma ideia de ascensão africana. Dados estes desenvolvimentos, a África deve agir como uma unidade ao abordar seus diversos desafios, devendo buscar engajar a comunidade internacional como ator igualmente importante na política internacional. O artigo recomenda que a relação entre a África e a comunidade internacional deve igualmente passar por uma mudança. Esta relação deve ser enraizada nos princípios de igualdade das nações e dos povos, na colaboração mútua por interesses mútuos e no respeito pela habilidade e pelo direito dos africanos para liderar sua própria mudança.

Desde o surgimento dos BRICS – Brasil, Rússia, Índia, China e África do Sul – ocorreram muitas mudanças no ambiente global. Os BRICS não têm servido apenas como plataforma diplomática para seus compromissos multilaterais e negociações de seus países membros, mas também como um veículo para impulsionar as interações políticas, econômicas e socioculturais dos membros com outros países, como a Nigéria. O lançamento de Jim O'Neill do relatório dos Próximos Onze (Next Eleven) trouxe à tona as perspectivas do surgimento de outro grupo de poder ou do futuro alargamento dos BRICS. Com base na proposição anterior de que o grupo dos Próximos Onze (de onze países) estão no caminho certo para alcançar os BRICS, contanto que sustentem seus níveis de crescimento, este artigo examina a posição da Nigéria nos Próximo Onze vis-à-vis aos BRICS, com referência particular às perspectivas de seu surgimento como uma potência econômica antes e depois da pandemia de COVID-19. Conforme observado, apesar de a Nigéria possuir elementos críticos de poder que incluem geografia, tamanho da população e recursos econômicos, força militar e experiência diplomática, ainda não conseguiu aproveitá-los para alcançar prosperidade e grandeza. Conclui-se, portanto, que as perspectivas do país, incluindo o futuro de suas relações com blocos de potências emergentes globais, como os BRICS, dependem de sua superação de desafios críticos que prostraram o país antes mesmo das rupturas de sua economia provocadas pela pandemia de COVID-19.

Africa's International Relations in a Globalising World: Perspectives on Nigerian Foreign Policy at Sixty and Beyond address essential questions about Nigeria's foreign policy such as how well the policy and its practice of diplomacy have served national interest, and what more needs to be done to assure of better results now and into the future.