Exploring the Legal Framework of Paradiplomacy and the Role of Subnational Entities for the Achievement of the African Union's Agenda 2063

The African Union (AU), a supranational body is charged with promoting continental cooperation and the socio-economic development of member states. One of the continental body's foremost aspirations, as encapsulated in its Agenda 2063 dossier, is to build a prosperous Africa. While the AU, as a supranational body may have the license to dictate and suggest the developmental trajectory of members states; the issue with such is that the levels of development amongst member states vary. Indeed, there is no procrustean solution that can be suggested for the development of an entire continent. This study however avers that paradiplomacy has the potential to promote continental development and aid the AU in achieving its 2063 agenda. Arguably, paradiplomacy has immense developmental potential. There is however little evidence to affirm that the practice of paradiplomacy by sub-state entities in most African countries have been taking place in a cohesive manner. Given this, this study outlines and analyses the legal framework under which subnational governments in South Africa conduct international relations. The analyses include the legal scope and boundaries of the international agendas of provinces in the country. While there is scant literature on the nature of the paradiplomatic activities of subnational governments in Africa, the study provides a brief description of the engagements of some of South Africa's provinces in paradiplomacy The study focuses on the Western Cape Province's paradiplomatic activities, to establish an example, how the constitution comes to play with regards to paradiplomacy in South Africa and to further emphasise the developmental dimension of paradiplomacy in the country and how the AU can adopt such framework in promoting continental development. The findings of the study establish that Western Cape's paradiplomatic strategy, is one of the first well-articulated and integrated approaches that captures the international engagements of subnational governments in South Africa.