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Influences

Soft Power Africa

Par Zyad Limam - Publié en mars 2023
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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...

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