Adequately representing the African continent’s demographic and political relevance has become a priority shared by Africa and its partners. African states and the African Union increasingly seek to join and shape multilateral forums, balancing visibility and trust-building with strategic lobbying and policy influence, in a complex context of geopolitical shifts and regional consensus-building challenges. Distinguishing between representation and reform as two distinct varieties of African agency, this study unpacks the challenges of exercising African agency at the G20 and in the effort to reform the UN Security Council. These case studies also illustrate that African agency might be a continental aspiration, but can be exercised also at national level and without collective action. Unpacking African agency is crucial for understanding Africa’s evolution of foreign policy, and to adapt partners’ strategies at the AU.
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