Constructive Engagement and the Need for Expanded Economic Ties between Iran and Africa

The main purpose of this study is to describe and explain why there needs to be an expansion of economic ties between Iran and Africa. The Ahmadinejad administration has adopted a constructive engagement policy accompanied with a counter-hegemony interaction strategy to improve Iran's position in the developing world. The aim of the policy is to challenge the current nature of the international system as well. Overall, the approach has highlighted the importance of relations with Africa in terms of south-south interaction. The special conditions of Africa as well as its numerous countries and economic and institutional capabilities has led Iran to adopt public diplomacy as the main instrument for taking advantage of Africa's potentials. However, Africa's situation and its urgent need for development on the one hand and the mode of interaction between emerging powers and the continent on the other hand suggest that Iran needs to boost economic ties and interaction with African states to enhance its soft power. Hence, Iran's public diplomacy and economy will inevitably need to pay attention to economic ties as well as political engagement with African countries in order to develop.