Africa is the fastest growing continent, where rapid modernization is taking place, always increasing the risk of destabilization, which may be much more acute under African conditions. The growth of African societies will bring both challenges and opportunities. The article shows both problems and challenges, such as the weakness of some states, terrorism, poor infrastructure, unemployment etc., and opportunities, such as great perspectives for economic growth, domestic and especially foreign investment and others. The authors believe that the merit of the article is that it describes both challenges and opportunities in the same areas of life, analyzing them from opposite sides. Thus, the high level of illiteracy hampers the development of a number of countries, but at the same time, education in Africa is developing rapidly, and higher education is making enormous progress, which is the key to the success of African countries in the future. The large proportion of young people creates big problems with their employment, but it is a colossal demographic dividend, which is important not only for Africa, but also for the developed countries. Explosive and rapid modernization contributes to the accelerated development of African countries, but it also creates considerable instability in many societies, which should be taken into account, etc. This gives the reader a more comprehensive and objective picture. In any case, we predict that in the twenty-first century Africa will be the most turbulent continent in the World System, with the highest number of revolutions, conflicts, and explosions of extremism. On the other hand, we believe that Africa as a whole is the continent of the future, where powerful dynamics, which are already being exhausted in the Western world, will be observed for a long time to come. The greater Africa’s role, the more it will be affected by world-system processes, and vice versa, the more it will influence the World System. At present, the struggle for influence in Africa between the major powers has intensified. One can predict that the rivalry for its markets, resources, and political support will intensify. Moreover, the faster Africa develops, the more active and acute will be the geopolitical struggle for influence in African countries and on the African continent as a whole. The article examines (1) the problems and prospects for the future development of the African continent in the context of its explosive development and increasing role in the World System; and (2) the geopolitical rivalry among the leading powers in Africa in the present and predictions about this competition in the future.

Africa’s Future: Global Engagement, Grand Challenges and Bright Prospects

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发表日期：

2026年

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Leonid E. Grinin,
Anton L. Grinin

摘要

Africa is the fastest growing continent, where rapid modernization is taking place, always increasing the risk of destabilization, which may be much more acute under African conditions. The growth of African societies will bring both challenges and opportunities. The article shows both problems and challenges, such as the weakness of some states, terrorism, poor infrastructure, unemployment etc., and opportunities, such as great perspectives for economic growth, domestic and especially foreign investment and others. The authors believe that the merit of the article is that it describes both challenges and opportunities in the same areas of life, analyzing them from opposite sides. Thus, the high level of illiteracy hampers the development of a number of countries, but at the same time, education in Africa is developing rapidly, and higher education is making enormous progress, which is the key to the success of African countries in the future. The large proportion of young people creates big problems with their employment, but it is a colossal demographic dividend, which is important not only for Africa, but also for the developed countries. Explosive and rapid modernization contributes to the accelerated development of African countries, but it also creates considerable instability in many societies, which should be taken into account, etc. This gives the reader a more comprehensive and objective picture. In any case, we predict that in the twenty-first century Africa will be the most turbulent continent in the World System, with the highest number of revolutions, conflicts, and explosions of extremism. On the other hand, we believe that Africa as a whole is the continent of the future, where powerful dynamics, which are already being exhausted in the Western world, will be observed for a long time to come. The greater Africa’s role, the more it will be affected by world-system processes, and vice versa, the more it will influence the World System. At present, the struggle for influence in Africa between the major powers has intensified. One can predict that the rivalry for its markets, resources, and political support will intensify. Moreover, the faster Africa develops, the more active and acute will be the geopolitical struggle for influence in African countries and on the African continent as a whole. The article examines (1) the problems and prospects for the future development of the African continent in the context of its explosive development and increasing role in the World System; and (2) the geopolitical rivalry among the leading powers in Africa in the present and predictions about this competition in the future.