Authors: Majid Sheikh Hared and Ramla Abbas Sheikh
The University of Nairobi
P. O. Box 30197-01000, Nairobi, Kenya
Co Author Email: majidkey1992@gmail.com
Abstract
The post-Cold War international order has transitioned toward multipolarity, marked by the diffusion of power from Western dominance to emerging centers in Eurasia and the Global South. This article examines the Eurasian Charter of Diversity and Multipolarity in the 21st Century, a diplomatic initiative proposed by Belarus in 2023 and advanced with Russia, as a significant normative and institutional response to these shifts. Drawing on neorealism, constructivism, regionalism theory, and concepts of strategic autonomy and South-South cooperation, the article analyzes the Charter’s core principles, sovereign equality, civilizational diversity, indivisible security, objectives, and functional dimensions, security, economic integration, humanitarian cooperation. From an African perspective, the review explores opportunities for strategic multipolarity, including trade diversification, infrastructure development via synergies like the Belt and Road Initiative, technology partnerships, global governance reform, and peace and security cooperation. It aligns these with the African Union’s Agenda and AfCFTA while addressing risks such as great-power competition, governance fragmentation, sanctions exposure, and dependency traps. Key insights highlight the Charter’s potential to foster pluralistic regionalism and enhance African agency, provided engagement is pragmatic, coordinated, and anchored in sovereignty and development priorities.
Keywords: Eurasian Charter, multipolarity, African strategic autonomy, regionalism, South-South cooperation, global governance reform, African Union Agenda
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Suggested Citation
Sheikh, M.H., & Abbas, R.S. (2026). The Eurasian Charter of Diversity and Multipolarity: An African Perspective on Emerging Regionalism and Global Governance. African Research Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 13(2), 1-13.