One of the strangest pieces of news content I ever came across was of Tunisia’s president Kais Saied, when he stated that there is a “plot to change the demographics of Tunisia and make it African.” This was during an address regarding the numbers of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa arriving in Tunisia with the goal of travelling on a boat across the Mediterranean Sea in order to reach Europe.
That comment obviously raised some obvious questions such as: Isn’t Tunisia already an African country? If so, is it possible to make an African country even more African somehow?
The reality is that there is somewhat of an identity crisis among North African states. There are many within North Africa, who simply don’t consider themselves as African. Therefore, this begs the question, are North Africans… well African?
Obviously, the answer to that question is yes, as North Africa is geographically a part of the African continent, therefore, its citizens are African. However, that identity is not something that is universally agreed upon by everyone. One would just have to look at the statement of the Tunisian President as an example of that. In his same statement, he claimed that: “The undeclared goal of the successive waves of illegal immigration is to consider Tunisia a purely African country that has no affiliation to the Arab and Islamic nations.”
“The undeclared goal of the successive waves of illegal immigration is to consider Tunisia a purely African country that has no affiliation to the Arab and Islamic nations.”
Tunisian President Kais Saied on Sub Saharan Migrants entering Tunisia
This is what is at the heart of the conversation, should people from North Africa be considered as Arabs or Africans? This discussion came up around the time of the 2022 World Cup as well when the Moroccan national team managed to reach the semi-finals in the tournament. The question of: ‘what way should the Moroccan national team be referred to as?’ came up. Are they the first “Arab” or “African” national team to reach the semi-final of the World Cup?
This fact was exemplified after the Moroccan winger Sofiane Boufal posted a message onto social media where he stated “to all Arab people, and to all Muslim people. This win belongs to you” following their World Cup victory over Spain. Only after he received backlash on social media did he apologise for failing to mention the African continent or the support many Africans had given the Moroccan national team.
Though, this is a sentiment that goes both ways. Even I can admit, if you were to ask me to picture an African in my head, there are many images that would come to mind which would likely never include a Moroccan or a Tunisian. Going back to the World Cup example, hearing the Moroccan national team being referred to as the first “African” national team to reach the final, definitely felt strange to hear as well. Which I know would not have been the case if it were Ivory Coast or Kenya who managed to reach the semi-finals.
There are many reasons why some view that North African nations shouldn’t be considered African, such as:
1. Arab/Islamic identity
Because the Islamic religion and the Arabic language and culture are so dominant among North African nations, many North Africans simply identify more with their Arabic identities than their African ones.
2. Race
The fact that most North Africans aren’t black compared to most of us from Sub-Saharan Africa means that many North Africans (and Sub-Saharan Africans) find it difficult to label people from North Africa as being “Africans.”
3. Racism
There are cohorts of people from North Africa who hold racist sentiments towards black people in general, therefore they associate those racist beliefs towards the label of being “African” as well.
Likewise, there are black Africans who believe that the “African” label should only be associated with black-skinned people as well.
4. Lack of cultural exposure
Another reason is that there is a lack of cultural exposure. There simply isn’t a lot of cultural exposure/exchange between North African and Sub-Saharan African nations. I can attest that I know very little about much of the cultural aspects of many North African countries compared to my knowledge of Sub-Saharan African countries. This lack of cultural exposure definitely makes it difficult for our populations to identify with one another as well.
In conclusion, the debate surrounding the identity of North Africans as Africans underscores the complexity of the cultural, historical, and social dynamics in the region. Although North African may be geographically part of the African continent, North Africa’s historical ties, linguistic influences, and racial diversity have led to differing perceptions of identity.
The conversation is centred upon issues of race, religion, and cultural exchange. Ultimately, acknowledging and respecting the diverse identities within Africa, whether Arab, African, or otherwise, is essential for fostering understanding and unity across the continent.
