This archive report was first published on 25 September 2019.
Published on September 25, 2019, a report by Expo 2020 Dubai and YouGov's Global Optimism Outlook Survey has shed light on the optimism levels of people across 23 countries, including Kenya.
With a staggering 70% of Kenyans expressing optimism about the country's future, Kenya stands out as the most optimistic country in Africa, surpassing the global average of 56% and the continental average of 64%.
The survey, which polled over 20,000 people, found that Kenyans' optimism is linked to factors such as the thriving digital technology landscape, the decentralised system of government, and the continued uplift in socio-economic conditions across the country.
Interestingly, Kenyans ranked natural resource conservation, alternative energy, and zero waste as the most important aspects in creating a better future, while technological developments like ride-sharing and electric vehicles were considered least important.
Similar to other African economies, 85% of Kenyan respondents believe that access to education is the key to unlocking opportunities in the year 2050, followed by access to resources (82%) and collaboration across borders and cultures (81%).
Looking ahead, Kenyans are optimistic about mankind's ability to combat climate change, with 70% believing that conservation of natural resources, alternative energy, and zero waste are crucial in creating a better world.
When it comes to the future, Kenyans would like to experience free trade (82%), self-powering and energy-producing transportation (72%), carbon-free travel (68%), e-commerce (66%), and cloud computing, big data, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) (66%) in the next three decades.
South America was found to be home to the largest number of optimists, with 74% of respondents expressing optimism about the future.
