Responses suggest that Beijing’s investments are having a positive impact on perception.
June 29, 2022
Written by Connor Echols
China is by far the most influential foreign power in Africa, according to a recent poll of African youth from the Ichikowitz Family Foundation. The survey also found that China’s influence is widely viewed as a good thing, with 76 percent of respondents saying Beijing has a positive effect on the region.
Perceptions of U.S. influence in Africa were lower at 67 percent — 10 points fewer than China and seven points fewer than Washington earned in 2020. And 72 percent of respondents said the United States has a positive influence in Africa, a steep drop from the previous score of 83 percent.
Alden Young, a Non-Resident Fellow at the Quincy Institute, blames Washington’s security-focused approach to Africa for its reduced influence in the region. “Right now, the U.S. is mainly seen as a provider of security equipment,” Young said. “It doesn’t have much to offer in terms of economic development.”
“The Chinese in particular are seen primarily to invest in infrastructure,” he continued. “It’s hard for the U.S. to take a leadership role if it’s not going to compete on a commercial, cultural, or financial economic playing field.”
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