JULY 2023
Dear Friends,
In light of the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to rescind affirmative action in university admissions, we were curious to look at the numbers of African international students in the United States and across the globe. Africa has the world’s youngest and fastest-growing population, the current median age is about 19 years, and is projected to comprise 23 percent of the world’s labor force by 2050. As such, the task of providing quality education and opportunities for millions of young Africans is an important one.
As our chart of the month indicates, France is the most popular destination for Africans seeking higher education outside the continent, hosting ~126,000 African students. China comes in second with ~ 81,500 students, while the U.S. comes in third with approximately 48,000 African students. Other countries among the top 20 destinations for African students outside the continent include Germany, United Kingdom, UAE, Canada, Türkiye and Ukraine. In addition, there has also been a growing trend of intra-Africa student mobility for higher education, countries such as South Africa, Morocco, Senegal, and Ghana have emerged as the new hot zones for many African students. Read more
On a slightly different note, this week, the U.S.-Africa Business Summit kicked off in Botswana, with over 1000 business professionals from Africa and the U.S. Items on the agenda include discussions on trade and investment opportunities. The summit was organized by the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) and Nathan Scott of the DFC led the U.S. delegation to showcase achievements recorded since the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in December 2022. And relatedly, the administration just announced appointed the new coordinator for Prosper Africa, British Robinson. Here is our take on the things that could make or break Prosper Africa.
The World Bank recently released the country classification by income for FY24. “Sub-Saharan Africa” has 1 high-income country, 6 upper-middle income, 19 lower-middle income, & 22 low-income. Since 1987, the percentage of African countries that are classified as low-income has fallen from 74% to 22%. Notably, Guinea and Zambia moved from low-income to lower-middle income status in the recent classification.
I am finalizing this newsletter from Detroit Michigan where I am participating in TED Countdown 2023. My own TED talk, scheduled for Friday July 14 th asks the question: “Can we fight climate change in a deglobalizing world?” I will share the video once it’s available.
As always, sign up for our newsletter and share within your networks.
Sincerely,
Zainab Usman
Director, Carnegie Africa Program
CHART OF THE MONTH
FEATURES
There appears to be a shift in African students’ higher education choices toward a variety of emerging economies and middle powers such as Türkiye, the UAE, and Malaysia, among others, beyond the former colonial powers such as Belgium, Portugal, or the U.K. Zainab Usman & Aline Abayo
The United States’ new digital initiative with Africa is timely and promising, but its vast potential will go unrealized if its mission isn’t translated into targeted action. These three proposals could help. Jane Munga
Women’s representation in political offices continued to decline in the 2023 elections. Four main factors help explain why Africa’s largest economy is such a difficult space for women candidates. Elor Nkereuwem
The success of the new U.S. investment strategy may ultimately depend on how a bill in Congress addresses these key components. Zainab Usman & Katie Auth
DEVELOPMENTS ON OUR RADAR
- Power Africa: 10 biggest projects in 10 years [Africa Report]
- Nigerian President Tinubu chosen as new West Africa bloc chief [Reuters]
- Senegal President Macky Sall says he won't run for third term [BBC]
- Kenya’s Ruto presses for finance reform at Paris climate summit [Africa Times]