African soft power lies with its youth

Beyond its economic strengths, the continent’s influence depends on its culture, knowledge and the ability of its young people to project a strong identity.

The Dakhla Higher School of Technology, in partnership with Ibn Zohr University, has just hosted the second edition of Africa Future Leaders Day, organised by EPIK Leaders under the theme ‘African youth, diplomacy and soft power: building the influence of tomorrow’s Africa’. The event brought together students, lecturers and researchers, diplomats and institutional stakeholders.

In his opening remarks, the association’s president, Mahmoud Cherkaoui, set the tone: “The training of future leaders can no longer be limited to technical skills alone. Whilst these remain fundamental, they must now be complemented by cross-disciplinary skills – marketing, communication, teamwork, international networking – to meet the demands of today’s market. ”

He highlighted EPIK Leaders’ educational approach, which is based on three pillars: learning by doing, learning through play and networking, in order to transform academic knowledge into expertise that can be applied in the field.

The choice of Dakhla is no coincidence, explains the association. A geopolitical crossroads, a showcase for Morocco’s development in the Sahara and a gateway to sub-Saharan Africa, the city embodies precisely the issues of soft power and territorial diplomacy at the heart of this year’s debates.

For the Vice-President of the Regional Council, Moulay Boutal Lembarki, Africa must move from the periphery to the centre of global decision-making by drawing on the ‘vital force’ that is youth: ‘Influence now depends on culture, knowledge and the ability to project a strong identity. ”

For their part, lecturers at EST Dakhla, Meriem Sahli and Sahar Saoud, highlighted the importance of parallel diplomacy for Morocco’s influence by 2030, particularly through sport and culture.

The event also featured the launch of the collective work The Awakening of the Sentinels: African Youth Perspectives on Soft Power and New Diplomacy. This essay gives a voice to young leaders and committed students from several countries across the continent, focusing on three strategic areas.

A Think Tank for African Leadership

Firstly, Community and Territorial Diplomacy: using the example of cities such as Dakhla and Kigali, the book explores how geographical areas become levers of influence.

Secondly, Soft Power and narrative reclamation. This involves analysing the ‘war of narratives’ and affirming the need for Africa to produce its own narratives through culture and digital media.

Thirdly, the essay advocates for “Soft Skills in the Service of Peace”, where empathy and collective intelligence are seen as the foundation of ethical leadership. In the general introduction to the manifesto, Nizar Chaari, founder of Epik Leaders, defines the movement’s ambition: “To be a Sentinel is to accept the role of guardian of a millennia-old heritage whilst being the architect of a technological and sovereign future. It is to understand that a continent’s true power is no longer measured solely by its underground resources, but by its ability to charm, to convince and to inspire. ”

Finally, this edition marked the official launch of the Epik think tank, dedicated to African leadership. This initiative extends the intellectual momentum of the event by fostering a continuous flow of knowledge on the challenges of diplomacy, soft power and governance driven by the continent’s youth.

It should be noted that Epik Leaders, founded in January 2025 by Nizar Chaari and Mahmoud Cherkaoui, is a pan-African association that supports young talent through leadership, training and social innovation programmes. Its mission: to equip young people and community organisations to tackle today’s challenges and build tomorrow’s opportunities. The movement claims to have over 50,000 members, 550 active clubs and a network spanning some fifteen African countries.

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