Washington, DC — Two out of three Africans surveyed in a poll released last week by GlobeScan and the World Bank believe that globalization has a positive effect on their lives. However, most Africans don't think rich countries are treating them fairly over trade issues, even though a slight majority (55%) think the United States and Europe have a positive influence in the world.
When asked about the most serious problem in their country, an overwhelming margin (92% ) identified HIV/Aids as their most serious problem, ahead of both poverty and terrorism.
Conducted between December 2003 and January 2004 by the international polling firm GlobeScan, the survey included 7,556 Africans in eight African countries- Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Egypt, with a sample size of approximately 1,000 in each country (except Zimbabwe, where the sample size was 645).
Most Africans surveyed (83%) view democracy is the best system of government, but a majority (56%) do not feel that their own country is being run "by the will of the people." Only in Ghana does a clear majority (61%) view their government as representative, while opinion in Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya and the Ivory Coast is sharply divided on the question. "It should be noted, though, that the public in many wealthy democracies are not confident that their governments are representative either," Globescan said in a press release about the findings.
Steven Kull, director of the Program on International Policy Attitudes, which analyzed the survey results, said this report is the first to gather data from several African countries. Previously, Globescan polls had been conducted only in South Africa and Nigeria. This study was sponsored by the World Bank and the Royal African Society in London.
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According to Globescan, which conducted a 19-country worldwide survey in June, Africa is the only region other than North Americans where a majority views globalization positively. "Africans have pinned their hopes on integration with the global economy," said Kull. Younger and better educated respondents have a slightly more positive response than the general population. However, Zimbabwe is an exception, with only 35% of respondents expressing a positive opinion on globalization's impact.
Some 30% of respondents agreed with the statement: 'Rich countries are fair in trade negotiations,' although those with higher educational and income levels had higher levels of agreement with the statement. A majority (57%) of those surveyed think poor countries do not benefit as much as rich countries from free trade. "These findings suggest that Africans are eager and willing to join the game of world economic integration even as they have resentments that they are being treated unfairly by the wealthy countries." Kull said.
GlobeScan's Lloyd Heatherington said that the survey was undertaken as a first step and that the company and its in-country partners intend to expand the survey to other countries on the continent on an annual basis. Some experts have critiqued the report, saying it represents the richest countries on the continent, but not poorer ones.
More information on the survey results is available from www.pipa.org and from www.globescan.com.
