African digital diplomacy: Emergence, evolution, and the future

Digital diplomacy has become a major topic of international interdisciplinary analysis. Aimed at making an African contribution to knowledge, this article charts the emergence of digital diplomacy and presents evidence of unfolding practices and discussions in the African digital diplomacy sphere. The empirical segment of the article draws on data from 21 virtual sessions on African digital diplomacy, convened between July and August 2020 and involving over 50 African diplomats. Based on open-source software as well as qualitative analysis, the study results show that the risks of digital diplomacy, particularly disinformation and misinformation, are main concerns for modern diplomats. The study offers suggestions for the enhancement of digital diplomacy practices and scholarship, particularly for African governments and civil society, including additional primary research on approaches and uses of digital tools, increased collaboration between academics and practitioners, and the embedding of digital diplomacy in the foreign policy strategies of African states.