Kenya is a leading global advocate for international cooperation, with 72per cent of its population backing the idea, according to a new global poll released by The Rockefeller Foundation.
The findings place Kenya among the top five nations worldwide, alongside India (81%), South Korea (73%), Nigeria (71%), and South Africa (70%).
The survey, which polled 36,405 adults across 34 countries including Kenya, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and South Africa, captures public sentiment at a time of massive global disruption and dramatic cuts to humanitarian and development work.
Alongside the poll’s release, The Rockefeller Foundation announced the launch of a new US $50 million Build the Shared Future initiative. The 112-year-old philanthropic organization aims to develop innovative solutions that more effectively respond to global crises and promote a healthier, more prosperous, and secure future for all.
The results reveal that despite rising nationalist rhetoric and cuts to development aid, a strong majority of people globally still want nations to work together on common threats. This support is particularly robust in Sub-Saharan Africa, which showed an overall 68% approval rate for international cooperation.
However, the findings also indicate that this support is conditional. While people back cooperation when it delivers tangible results, scepticism remains. Globally, 75% of respondents said they would support international cooperation if it is proven to effectively solve global problems, and 76% would support it if it solves problems in their own countries. Yet, today, less than half (42%) of those surveyed believe international cooperation is in their personal interests.
“At a moment when the world is struggling to cooperate on addressing shared threats, The Rockefeller Foundation can once again help bring people together from across the world and across political divides to test new ideas and catalyze innovative solutions that will save lives,” said Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, President and CEO of the ONE Campaign and member of The Rockefeller Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
Commenting on the implications for Africa, William Asiko, Vice President of Africa at The Rockefeller Foundation, said: “For too long, the narrative around development in Africa has been focused on aid rather than on partnership and mutual benefit. This new data confirms what we’ve always known—that Africans want a system of international cooperation that is not only effective but also equitable. Build the Shared Future provides a powerful opportunity to design and implement solutions that prioritize local leadership, leverage innovation, and build a more resilient and prosperous future for the continent.”
The poll also found overwhelming global consensus that cooperation is crucial for tackling key issues: jobs (90%), trade and economic development (92%), food and water security (93%), global health (91%), climate (86%), and poverty and inequality (90%). Despite this, trust in the institutions that drive this cooperation is relatively lower, including the United Nations (58%), the World Health Organization (60%), and the International Monetary Fund (44%).
The Rockefeller Foundation’s Build the Shared Future initiative aims to galvanize the global community to move beyond the current status quo and foster smarter, more creative, and collaborative approaches to the world’s biggest threats.
The survey was conducted by research technology company FocalData between August 8 and September 10, 2023.
