China and Russia's Influence in Africa Grows as Western Presence Declines, According to African Youth Survey 2024

Published by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation, a leading African NGO, the recently launched African Youth Survey 2024, provide unparalleled insights on how Africa's youth regard the role of global powers, in view of Africa's growing global significance and the reinforcement of multiple poles of power in the world order that have diversified Africa's pool of potential international partners.

The findings arrive as a clarion call to the UNGA's 'Pact For The Future,' serving as a critical input to the Summit of the Future's quest for groundbreaking interventions. With a laser focus on the Global South and the urgent necessity to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Africa's youth are unapologetically asserting their influence, demanding that their continent's leaders seize the reins of their own destiny.

"Africa's youth are no longer content to be bystanders in global discourse. They are ready to rewrite the narrative, and they have every intention of wielding the pen themselves," said Ivor Ichikowitz, Founder and Chairman of the Ichikowitz Foundation.

"The world must pay attention to Africa's emerging force – the youth. As the fastest-growing demographic, they are the heartbeat of the future. But will they rise as architects of a new era, or be relegated to passive spectators? Our African Youth Survey 2024 reveals that they are sounding the alarm, urging politicians and decision-makers across the region and globally to importantly navigate modern foreign influence with caution. The West can no longer afford to ignore the reality: disengagement and disregard for Africa's youth will have far-reaching consequences. This is not a plea for attention; it's a demand for action."

"The historic disparities in influence are clear - Our continent represents nearly 30% of votes as the largest regional bloc in the U.N, yet not one of our countries holds a permanent seat at the U.N. Security Council. But we have in New York City a landmark opportunity for African voices to be heard by leadership at home and abroad - and for global action to be taken in response to them".

Foreign Influences

The Survey reveals that China has been ultimately seen as the most influential global power, and in fact, the most beneficial global power (76 percent say it has influence while 82 percent call the character of that influence positive), followed then by the United States (70 percent influential: 79 percent positive influence).

The EU's influence has declined from 72% (2020) to 59%, the United Kingdom is down from 64% in 2020 to 56% and France has dropped from 58% (2020) to 51%.

72 percent of youth polled suggest concern today about foreign influence on their countries and Africa as a whole, reflecting a greater awareness of Russia's rising role.

Ukraine-Russia War In The Eyes Of African Youth

Russia's influence in Africa has risen since 2020, with 41% suggesting it is a leading foreign influencer on the continent, and 68% suggesting that influence is positive.

Indeed perceptions of Russian influence have spiked markedly in several African states since 2022 – notably in Malawi, where it rose from 14 to 49 percent, and in South Africa, where it grew from 34 to 57 percent in the same two-year period.

Directly or indirectly, these shifts trace back to its war against Ukraine, as more than half (57 percent) of those who have a positive view of Russia say it is because they are providing grain and fertilizer, and this is an area in which it has forcibly displaced Ukraine – a historic supplier to Africa.

The question of who is to blame for the Russian-Ukrainian War is also mixed, as more than two-thirds – 68 percent – of respondents believe Russia's war in Ukraine could have been avoided, yet surprisingly, nearly a third (32 percent) lay blame for the war at the feet of the U.S., NATO and the EU.

Only 23 percent specifically say that Russia is to blame (another 21 percent say all actors share blame).

"Let's be clear—Russia's influence campaign is not only deliberate but effective. Africa is now the frontline of a struggle for global influence, and the youth are the prize," warned Ichikowitz. "Our leaders must wake up to this reality and protect the sovereignty of the next generation. This is not just about land or resources; it's a battle for the very soul of the continent."

Yet despite high levels of concern about the influence of foreign powers, African youth do not want their leaders to shy away from the global platform - When asked what the main priority for national leaders should be, youth are looking to their leaders to balance both international and domestic issues – nearly half want the focus to be on addressing domestic matters (45%), while the other half are split between increasing their country's regional influence (23%) and expanding their country's influence on the global stage (29%).

However, regardless of where youth want their leaders to focus attention, there is clear confidence in the ability of African leaders to influence issues on the global stage with two-thirds (64%) agreeing.

"The African Youth Survey is a vital pulse check on the hopes, fears, and demands of Africa's next generation. As the world convenes in New York, it is clear: Africa's youth are not just participants in this story—they are its protagonists. The question is no longer whether they will be heard, but whether the world will finally listen."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Fielded across 16 African countries, the African Youth Survey offers an unprecedented sounding on how Africa's rising generation sees their current situation, and is now in its third iteration since its launch in 2020. Over this period, the one-of-a-kind, multi-country poll has identified trends across a range of issues of importance to young Africans.

Conducted by PSB Insights, a global leader in public opinion research, to-date there is no comparable barometer of the opinions of African youth in size or scope - The African Youth Survey is widely recognized as one of the most important research studies on young people living, learning, and working across Africa.

Six new countries have been included in the 2024 Survey: Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Tanzania, and Namibia. The ten other countries surveyed are Congo Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Zambia. This brings the total number of countries polled to 25, with almost 15,000 interviews having been conducted since the inception of the African Youth Survey in 2020.

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