to incorporate (a country or other territory) within the domain of a state

take illegally, as of territory; "The Israelis are annexing more and more territory on the West Bank"

take (territory) by conquest; "Hitler annexed Lithuania"

a negative, not only for the Africans, but most developing countries, even though some policy-makers in major developing countries, may be trying to lock themselves and their successors into the liberal order

to incorporate into a country the territory of another country

Process by which a government gains control over a territory not presently under their jurisdiction. It usually involves either conquest or the use of force.