Soft Power Africa
To exist you must seduce! Which African countries project soft power, generate a positive, attractive image or position themselves as key players? Here is our, admittedly, subjective and evolving list of the top 15.
Soft power, a term coined by American political scientist Joseph Nye in the late 1980s, refers to a nation’s ability to seduce, attract or influence by means other than force, coercion or military might. Based largely on values, culture and diplomacy, it allows a country to be seen in an appealing light around the world, an image all the more necessary as it contributes to attracting energy, creativity, investments, tourists, etc. Soft power, a nation’s brand, is not necessarily in contradiction with the hard variety. The United States, for example, is capable of unapologetically projecting military, economic and strategic strength while winning over hearts and minds through Hollywood movies, the American way of life and the myth of the immigrant, just like France does with tourism, food, wine, literature and its rich cultural heritage. In a globalized, fiercely competitive world where communication channels are multiplying (television, social media, the Internet), the concept takes on a strategic value. To exist you must seduce! African countries may be fragile but they need to beef up their soft power game no less than the great powers do. “Seduction" in all its forms has become a key to development. That’s why Afrique Magazine has established its own ranking of African soft power. Which countries project attraction or influence beyond their borders, or at least position themselves as key players? Here is our necessarily subjective and evolving list of the top 15. Of course, not everyone will agree with our choices. Some of them may seem surprising and the next list might look different. Nothing is set in stone and your comments are welcome. In any case, here’s the first edition of Soft Power Africa.
2- Rawanda: The Authoritarian Model !
3- South Africa: The Rainbow Nation in Turmoil
4- Senegal: The Teranga Concept
5- Kenya: Smart Power on the East Coast
6- Egypt: Facing Challenges
7- Nigeria: The Future is Also Being Written Here
8- Côte d'Ivoire: Claiming its Rank
9- Democratic Republic of Congo: A Ridge Line
10- Djibouti: On the World Map
11- Ethiopia: Thawarted Emergence
12- Mauritius: Changing Course
13- Niger: At the Sahel Crossroads