Masquerading Donor Darlings? Examining African Agency in Foreign Aid Relations

Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated that African states are capable of exerting agency in their unequal relationships with foreign donors, challenging the traditional view that African states are passive recipients of foreign assistance that possess no influence. Commentators of African international relations observe that some aid-dependent states lacking natural resources have consistently endeavoured to shape their country’s image, via a variety of ways, to influence donor perceptions and continue or expand existing aid arrangements. The strategy of image management, however, has not been adequately theorised and, accordingly, past discussions have been unclear about their methods to study the identification and success of this strategy. This paper clarifies existing conceptual gaps in past works by developing a definition and basis for analysis in response to existing theoretical deficiencies. The case analysis finds that Rwanda has been more successful in its image management than Ethiopia, and that images related to a commitment to peacekeeping and regional stability have been more effective in eliciting positive aid outcomes from the US.