Towards a tech diplomatic peace for Africa

This article examines what kind of peace Africa ought to aim for in today’s era of technological revolution. Aiming for a normative prescription that is demanding but not entirely utopian, the starting point of this article is diplomatic peace. By analysing key United Nations General Assembly documents, asking to what they liken peace, the article identifies three dimensions of a diplomatic peace, namely: restraint, compromise and dialogue. Then, it explores how UN documents have succeeded and failed to translate these three dimensions into a tech diplomatic peace, and how the practices of relevant actors have followed up on these promises about tech. The results are sobering. There is a translation gap, particularly regarding restraint, and a follow-up gap in relation to compromise and dialogue. The analysis concludes with policy recommendations for how African actors can contribute to advancing a tech diplomatic peace.