Bloc Politics at the United Nations : The African Group

In Bloc Politics at the United Nations, Endeley presents a detailed analysis of the structure and functioning of the African Group at the United Nations (UN). At the heart of the UN system is a series of regional caucusing blocs, of which the African Group is one of the most dynamic and cohesive. The African Group, which comprises more than twenty-five percent of the UN's Member States and wields considerable voting strength, has the potential to be one of the most prominent international actors in the post-Cold War era. Since its stance on crucial international issues can tip the scales in one direction or another, the African Group is very widely courted by the other international actors. Yet the behavior, structure, and function of the African Group at the UN have seldom been the object of any serious scientific inquiry. Endeley's analysis is informed by direct observation and by the consultation of key primary and secondary sources.