If it is true that Algeria is making great efforts to regain a position as an  influential nation on the regional and continental scene , the fact remains that there is one area in which our country is lagging  considerably behind.  This is that of “  soft power”  (power to convince).

Soft  power  refers to all the “soft” means, other than military power ( hard power ), that a state uses to exert influence on the international scene and orient world politics in its favor. Culture, cinema, sport, diplomacy, economic aid constitute all tools of the  soft power strategy .

And in the modern world, the  power to convince  occupies an increasingly important place in the policies of the great powers. The United States with Hollywood,  McDonald's  and CocaCola, China with  TikTok , Japan with manga, Qatar with the FIFA World Cup... are just a few examples among many others.

To find out where Algeria stands   in terms of  soft power  on the African and global scale, we consulted the latest report from the London-based Brand Finance institute, entitled “  Global Soft Power Index 2023. ”

The 10 African countries with the most powerful soft power in 2023

Brand Finance's Global  Soft Power Index  represents the world's most comprehensive research on nation brand perception. Based on a panel of 100,000 people aged 18 to 75, from 100 different countries, each year, the index lists the 121 most influential brands.

This index measures the strength and attractiveness of a country in terms of  soft power , examining  40 criteria , including cultural heritage, the quality of its education system, governance and global reputation, media, trade, international relationships…

Here is the list of the  10 most influential countries in Africa  in terms of “soft power”:

Thus, although Algeria is among the top 10 African nations with   the most influential soft power , we note that it appears at the bottom of the table and that it is still far from competing with the powers of the continent, the Egypt and South Africa. Even on a Maghreb scale, Morocco and Tunisia surpass Algeria.

On a global level, we find, without much surprise, the  United States  at the head of the nations with   the most powerful soft power . The rest of the top 10 consists of: the United Kingdom, Germany, China, Japan, France, Canada, Switzerland, Russia and Italy.