Chapter 6 >The Changing Geopolitical Landscape > Africa

U.S. Report - pdf version Leaders Questionnaire - pdf version Public Questionnaire - pdf version

Africa

The American public does not consider key African countries to be of very high concern, and expresses cool to lukewarm feelings toward them. Nevertheless, Americans show significantly increased support for giving economic aid to Africa.

Comparatively low proportions of the public say that the United States has a vital interest in the Sudan (52%) or South Africa (49%). Nigeria, at 31%, is at the bottom of the 30 countries we asked about. Similarly, civil wars in Africa are rated a “critical threat” by only 24% of the public, ranking third from the bottom of 20 possible threats that were inquired about. South Africa gets an average rating of 50 degrees, exactly neutral, on the feeling thermometer, while Nigeria a averages a cool 42 degrees.

At the same time, more Americans—35%—favor increasing economic aid to “African countries” than to any of the seven other countries or peoples we asked about. The 35% figure is up substantially from 1998 (see Figure 6-17). Only 22% are in favor of decreasing or stopping aid altogether (37% say keep the same).