Boundaries and Secession in Africa and International Law

Erscheinungsjahr 2015
ISBN: 978-1-107-11798-3
Verlag: Cambridge University Press

Buch, Englisch, 314 Seiten, Format (B × H): 157 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 619 g

This book challenges a central assumption of the international law of territory. The author argues that, contrary to the finding in the Frontier Dispute, uti possidetis is not a general principle of law enjoining states to preserve pre-existing boundaries on state succession. The book demonstrates that African state practice gave rise to customary rules of intangibility of inherited frontiers and respecting the territorial status quo that, respectively, regulate sovereign territory transfer in Africa on independence and beyond. It explains that those rules changed international law as it relates to Africa in many aspects, including the creation of norms of African jus cogens prohibiting secession and the redrawing of boundaries. The book examines in depth the phenomenon of secession in Africa, exploring extensive state practice. Finally, it advances a daring argument for a right to egalitarian self-determination, addressing domination in multi-ethnic states, to serve as an exception to the African rule against secession.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Ahmed, Dirdeiry M.

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Geschichte einzelner Länder Afrikanische Geschichte
• Rechtswissenschaften Internationales Recht und Europarecht Internationales Recht Internationale Menschen- und Minderheitenrechte, Kinderrechte
• Rechtswissenschaften Internationales Recht und Europarecht Internationales Recht Internationales Kriegsrecht, Territorialrecht, Humanitäres Recht
• Rechtswissenschaften Internationales Recht und Europarecht Internationales Recht Internationales Strafrecht, Internationales Verfahrensrecht

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction; Part I. The African Territorial Regime: 1. The Frontier Dispute case and applying uti possidetis to Africa; 2. The rule of intangibility of inherited frontiers; 3. The conventional obligation to respect the territorial status quo; 4. The customary rule of respecting the territorial status quo; 5. The changes made in international law by the African custom; Part II. Towards an Exception to the African Rule Against Secession: 6. Current justifications for secession in Africa; 7. Domination as a possible instance for a right to external self-determination; 8. Towards a right to egalitarian self-determination; 9. Conclusion.

Über Autor(innen)

Ahmed, Dirdeiry M.
Dirdeiry M. Ahmed is Managing Partner of Dirdeiry and Associates, Khartoum, Sudan.