There are many ways in which to define the relationship between the European Union (EU) and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. Using Holsti‟s definitions of role theory, this study distinguishes between the ego (the EU) and the alter (the ACP countries), referring to the differing perceptions that each has regarding the same issue: the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). It is argued that the EU carries out its external policies vis-à-vis the ACP countries, and in particular with the EPAs, in a manner that is perceived very differently by the two parties. The EU perceives its behaviour as that of Normative Power Europe (NPE) whereby actions are identified as altruistic and determined by a number of norms that form the core of the EU. Alternatively, it is suggested that in contrast to NPE, the ACP countries, with specific reference to southern Africa, experience and perceive quite a different version of the EU which is determined by Market Power Europe (MPE). MPE highlights a tangible and self-interested Europe not concerned entirely with altruistic intentions but rather the interests of its Single Market. The co-existence of these perceptions accounts for the difficulties faced in concluding the EPA negotiations. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Political Sciences / unrestricted

L’action extérieure de l’Union européenne en matière de droits de l’homme est singulièrement conduite vers l’Afrique subsaharienne, qui bénéficie d’une position particulière. Il s’agit ici d’analyser les droits de l’homme dans les relations entre l’Union européenne et les États de l’Afrique subsaharienne sous l’angle de la recherche constante de l’équilibre. Il s’agit alors de déterminer si les droits de l’homme sont un facteur de progrès dans ces relations, d’un point de vue internationaliste. Par une méthode critique et pragmatique, la recherche a permis de dégager une définition instrumentale des droits de l’homme et d’examiner les différentes formes d’ingénierie juridique dans ces relations. Dans un premier temps, la thèse met en évidence la spécificité de l’intégration des droits de l’homme, c’est-à-dire le processus de création des droits de l’homme qui est dominé par les institutions européennes, et les instruments de promotion et de protection de ces droits qui s’inspirent du droit de l’Union. Le processus juridique de production et le produit des droits de l’homme dans ces relations pose la question de la cohérence des différentes politiques de l’Union en matière de coopération au développement. Dans un second temps, la recherche se penche sur le degré de réalisation des règles de droit dans les faits, par le seuil d’effectivité et d’ineffectivité. Cette appréciation permet de s’interroger sur les incidences et les causes de l’effectivité et de l’ineffectivité des droits de l’homme dans les relations entre l’Union européenne et les États de l’Afrique subsaharienne. Il en ressort une pratique mitigée du mécanisme de garantie de ces droits au regard d’une application à géométrie variable de ce régime juridique et de la permanence des enjeux extra-juridiques. Des interventions tierces dans ces relations d’organisations internationales (ONU, UA) ou d’États (Chine) tentent de compléter ou de réexaminer la conditionnalité de la coopération au développement au respect des droits de l’homme / The European Union’s external action as far as human rights are concerned is specially geared toward sub-Saharan Africa, which benefits of a particular position. The purpose here is to analyze human rights in relations between the European Union and the sub-Saharan African states in terms of a search of a constant equilibrium. It is actually a matter of determining whether human rights are a factor of progress in these relations from an internationalist point of view. Through a critical and pragmatic approach, the research allowed to deliver an instrumental definition of human rights and examine the different forms of legal work in these relations. First the thesis will highlight the specificity of the integration of human rights, the creative process of human rights that is dominated by the institutions of the European Union and the instruments of promotion and protection of these laws, which are inspired by the law of the Union. The legal process of production and the product of human rights in these relations raise the question of the consistency of the various policies of the European Union in matters of development cooperation. Second, the research looks at the degree of realization of the rules of law in effects through a threshold of effectiveness and ineffectiveness. This assessment will raise the question of the incidences and the causes of effectiveness and ineffectiveness of human rights in the relations between the European Union and the sub-Saharan African states. It appears a moderate practice from the guarnanteeing mechanism of these laws, albeit through an application that varies from country to country of this legal system and of the permanence of extra legal issues. Third-party interventions in these international organizations relations (UN, AU) or of States (China) try to complete or reconsider the conditionality of the development cooperation for human rights