'Jittery' with worries about future in the continent, more than half of Africa's youth wants to move abroad

As per a survey of fifteen African countries, the youth of the continent are fast losing confidence in their countries and the continent as a whole reports the Guardian.The African Youth Survey 2022 which was conducted by the Ichikowitz foundation saw 4,500 young people between the ages of 18 and 24 interviewed, out of which only 32 per cent said that they were optimistic about Africa's prospects. This is an eleven per cent drop from earlier figures.In 2020 a similar survey had 43 per cent of the participants expressing optimism.As per the survey, the pandemic, climate crisis, violence in the continent and political instability are making the people "jittery" about their futures in their respective countries.

However, about 75 per cent of the people showed a positive outlook for their personal futures, believing that things could look up.

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The frustration over their prospects in the continent has led many to harbour the desire to emigrate to foreign nations. As per the 2020 survey, about two-thirds had plans to stay in Africa, now more than half, or 52 per cent wanted to move abroad.

According to Ivor Ichikowitz, whosefamily foundation commissioned the survey, many of those surveyedhad their schooling suspended and lost income as a result of the pandemic.

“In many countries in Africa, it’s an election year or a year just before elections, and it’s kind of logical that people will see instability as a concern,” the Guardian quoted Ichikowitz as saying.

“But marry that with lack of access to water, marry that with a major concern around terrorism, and you’ve now got a demographic a group of people that are very jittery about the future of the continent,” he added.

“And the real bombshell out of the survey is that a very high percentage of the people in the response group are thinking about migration.”

As per the survey, sixty per cent of the African population is younger than 25, and more than one-third are aged between 15 and 34. It is estimated that by the year 2030, 42 per cent of the global youth population will be African.

(With inputs from agencies)

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