African nations divided on U.S. relations amid global decline in leadership approval
A recent Gallup survey spanning 36 countries has revealed a significant decline in global approval of U.S. leadership, with Uganda and the Gambia experiencing the steepest drops of at least 20 points each in 2023.
The decline in Ugandan and Gambian sentiment towards US leadership coincides with the Biden administration's decision to exclude Uganda from the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. This move comes as a consequence of Uganda's implementation of an anti-homosexuality law.
In October 2023, US President Joe Biden announced intentions to remove Uganda, Gabon, Niger, and the Central African Republic (CAR) from a special US-Africa trade program due to concerns over "gross violations" of human rights and lack of progress toward democratic governance.
Gallup's findings, however, reported a contrasting trend in other African nations, where more than half of the surveyed countries saw a notable increase in approval for US leadership. Countries like Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Senegal, Mauritania, Mozambique, and Tunisia witnessed double-digit rises in approval ratings. This surge in approval helped maintain Africa's mean endorsement of US leadership at 56%.
Globally, the report indicated that “the median percentage of people worldwide who approved of U.S. leadership in 2023, same as 2022.”
Despite the overall positive trend in Africa, some nations continue to express significant disapproval of US leadership. Libya, for instance, recorded the lowest approval rating on the continent at 23%, accompanied by a disapproval figure of 63%. Similarly, Somalia, Tunisia, and Namibia also reported higher disapproval ratings than endorsements.
The Gallup report was based on surveys conducted in over 130 countries across the world.
