Diplomacy and Nation-Building in Africa: Franco-British relations and Cameroon at the End of Empire (International Library of African Studies)

Cameroon Stands As A Remarkable Example Of Nation-building In The Aftermath Of European Domination. Split Between The French And British Empires After World War I, It Experienced A Unique Drive For Self-determination At The Turn Of The 1960s, Culminating In Both Independence From European Power And The Re-unification Of Two Of Its Divided Territories. This Book Investigates The Influence Of Foreign Policy On Nation-building In West Africa In The Context Of Both The Cold War And European Integration. Shedding Fresh Light On The Challenges Of Bridging The Political, Economic And Linguistic Divide That France And Britain Had Left, Melanie Torrent Explores The Evolution Of A Nation, Charting Both Cameroon's Importance In Franco-british Relations And Cameroon's Use Of Bilateral And Multilateral Diplomacy In Asserting Its Independence. This Work Should Be Essential Reading For Students Of African Studies, International Relations And The Post-colonial World.--publisher's Website. 1 The Reunification Dialogues: Coordinating -- Decolonisation In The Cold War 16 -- Early Consultations 16 -- No Separate Independence For The Southern Cameroons: British Doubts, Commonwealth Indifference, French Reluctance 23 -- Independence For The Republic Of Cameroun: From French Mandate To French Ally 35 -- After The Plebiscites: Political Insecurities And Diplomatic Tensions 51 -- 2 Our Of Commonwealth Dynamics: Cameroon's Retreat From Britain's International Legacy 73 -- Federal Harmonisation At A Time Of Uncontested French Influence 73 -- Neither Foreign Nor Commonwealth: The Long Road To Ending Imperial Preference 81 -- Principles And Limits Of A Bilingual State: Language As Diplomatic Influence 99 -- British Support To The Federal Centre: The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Impasse 115 -- 3 Francophone Diplomacies: Opportunities And Dangers For The Cameroonian State 124 -- Advancing Integration In Cameroon 124 -- The French Partner: Traingular Dynamics In Anglo-cameroonian Relations 130 -- British And Canadian Linguistic Policies In Cameroon: A French-driven Bilingualism? 150 -- No Francophonie? The Problematic Emergence Of The Agence De Coopération Culturelle Et Technique (acct) 158 -- 4 New Partnerships: The Stakes And Limits Of Integration In Cameron And Europe 171 -- A New Lease Of Life In Franco-british Political Consultations On Africa 171 -- Pompidou's West Africa Trip: Interpretations And Consequences 177 -- Persistent Barriers In Linguistic Diplomacy 188 -- French And British Perspectives On 20 May 1972: A Welcome Unitary State? 197 -- Beyond The Acct And Commonwealth: Tentative Engagements With The Commonwealth Foundation 207 -- 5 The Cameroonian Bridge? Elusive Multilateralism In A Globalising World 214 -- Assessing Association With And Within An Enlarged Eec 214 -- From Shared Past To Tenuous Present: Cameroon On The Margins Of British Diplomacy 222 -- Stepping Back From French Networks? 231 -- Plus ça Change...france's Persistent Bilateral Influence 240 -- Acct-commonwealth Partnerships: A Diplomatic Impasse For Cameroon? 251. Mélanie Torrent. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [382]-398) And Index.