Dag Hammarskjöld, The Cold War, Development and Africa

Abstract

This chapter opens with an overview of how the Cold War entered Africa and its impact on the UN Member States as well as the colonized countries seeking self-determination. It introduces the UN developmental agencies and Hammarskjöld’s approach and understanding of development, not least with regard to the role of ECOSOC. It also shows his ability to recognize the relevance of the Bandung Conference and the desire for Independence in the colonized world. It then shows how this played out in the interaction with regards to the demands for decolonization in Africa and how Hammarskjöld supported the struggles for independence and the role of the UN in strengthening governance and development in the newly independent countries.