African Youth on the Global Geopolitical Stage

By Tomás Díaz García

Africa’s youth is not just a demographic fact; it is the key to understanding the future balance of power, stability, and development in the 21st century. At the same time, it is one of the regions in the world where most youth migration is most visible, shaped by geopolitical tensions, conflict, and structural inequities. Is youth migration really a “problem”, or is it a symptom of deeper global inequalities and political failures?

Africa is the youngest continent in the world. It is home to 1.4 billion people, with a median age of 19, and around 70 per cent of its population is under 30. While Europe and other regions, such as Asia, face ageing populations, labour shortages, and pressure on pension systems, Africa stands out for its vast and rapidly growing youth population. This demographic contrast is not just a statistic: it is a defining political, ecnomic and geopolitical reality. 

Africa’s youth is therefore a double-edged sword. It represents an enormous potential for development, innovation, and global progress. But when youth is combined with war, political instability, unemployment, and limited access to education and opportunities also makes it a source of vulnerability. The same generation that could drive Africa’s transformation can be pushed into precariousness, conflict, or forced migration. 

In this article, we explore the realities faced by young people in some regions of Africa: the opportunities they may have, the challenges they face, and the situations in which conflict and politics make it impossible for them to build the future they desire in their own countries, leaving migration as their only option.

African Youth: Opportunities and Challenges

Youth in Africa is its greatest asset, but also its most fragile reality. A young population holds the promise of renewal, creativity, and long-term development. It represents a generation capable of reshaping economies and social structures, redefining Africa’s place in the world. 

Yet this promise cannot exist without political and institutional support. The future of African youth does not depend only on their ambition or resilience, but on the capacity of states and the international community to create stable and inclusive conditions. Weak public policies and a lack of investment in education and employment can create structural inequalities that limit the possibilities of millions of young people before they even have a chance to build their futures. 

When these structures fail, hope turns into frustration. High unemployment, poverty and political instability place young people in situations of extreme vulnerability. What should be a stage of growth and opportunity turns instead into a daily fight to endure. 

Migration sometimes is not a dream but a last resort. It often begins internally, from rural areas to cities, and later spreads across borders, often under irregular and unsafe conditions. 

One testimony from a Kenyan domestic worker who migrated to the Middle East captures how her passport was confiscated, how she suffered physical and psychological abuse, and how the kafala system left her completely dependent on her employer. Her story is not an exception, but a reflection of how vulnerability can turn into total powerlessness. 

This is therefore not just a story of unrealised potential, but of structural vulnerability. The situation os young people reflects the success or failure of political systems and international responsibilities. As the testimony concludes, “Mama Africa needs to wake up”: a call for governments to stop using youth as political symbols and start creating real opportunities, so that Africa’s wealth finally serves its own people. 

Africa on the Global Chessboard 

Africa is not isolated from global politics, it is at the centre of a growing competition between major powers. Not only does the continent play an increasingly important diplomatic role in the war in Ukraine, but its participation in multilateral forums such as the G20 and BRICS is also growing. China, Russia, the European Union, the United States, and Turkey all seek influence through investments, military cooperation, access to resources, and strategic positioning. The continent has become a geopolitical chessboard where economic and security interests intersect. 

This competition, however, does not affect all African countries in the same way. Africa is not a single, homogeneous space, but a continent of deep contrasts. While some states, such as South Africa, have relatively strong institutions, diversified economies, and established educational systems, others remain vulnerable to conflict, political instability and external dependence. In regions such as the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and parts of Central Africa, geopolitical rivalries deepen instability rather than resolving it.

In this context, migration must be understood as a structural consequence rather than an isolated phenomenon. As I mentioned before, in some regions, leaving becomes a response to direct insecurity. In others, it reflects regional instability. Migration is therefore not a uniform experience across the continent, but a reflection of Africa’s internal diversity and its position within global power relations. 

This reality has led many African thinkers to question how development and international engagement are usually framed. George Ayittey, for instance, argues that lasting change cannot come from external agendas, but must be built through “African Solutions to African problems”. For him, the core issue is not the lack of resources, but weak institutions and the exclusion of African societies from shaping their own futures. His perspective challenges the idea of Africa as a passive chessboard and insists on seeing it as a political actor capable of defining its own priorities and direction.

On the global stage, Africa is not a space where powers compete, it is also a continent whose future depends on its ability to define its own priorities, strengthen its institutions and translate geopolitical attention into genuine sovereignty and development. 

Conclusion

Africa’s youth and its geopolitical position are deeply connected. The demographic reality of the continent does not stand apart from the role of Africa on the global stage. A young population, with resources and strategic value, make Africa a place of opportunities and a source of competence. 

When there is a lack of education, employment, and political stability, young people are exposed to insecurity and vulnerability, which can sometimes force them to migrate. Individual failures are not the cause, structural failures are. Migration, in this sense, is not a simple movement of people, it reflects how some soceities succes or fail in providing dignity and opportunity to their younger generations.

At the same time, Africa cannot be reduced to a passive chessboard in global power fights. Thinkers such as George Ayittey remind us that sustainable change must be rooted in African leadership, strong institutions, and the capacity of African societies to define their own priorities. External engagement can support this process, but not replace it. 

The future of Africa will depends by hoe its youth are treated today. If young people have the opportunity to be empowered through education, political inclusion and economic opportunity, they can be the base of stability and innovation. If they are ignored, manipulated, or forced to leave for survival, the continent's greatest asset will remain its greatest vulnerability. 

Africa’s challenge, therefore, is not only to be present on the global chessboard but also to play its own game, on its own terms. 

Sources: African Union, United Nations: Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Social Inclusion), Center for Strategic & International Studies, Youth Employment Decade, AKEN, Council of Foreign Relations, AMANI AFRICA Media and Research Services, Ichikowitz Family Foundation (African Youth Survey 2024), Euronews, World Pulse, Research Gate, World Bank, Centre for African Conflict and Development. 

Written by Tomás Díaz García 

Editted by Léa Besnard and Florence Cunnen