Russia has replaced the US as young Arabs’ most valued international ally, according to an opinion survey, underlining how Vladimir Putin’s Middle East interventions are reshaping attitudes.
The annual Arab Youth Survey showed a 12-point rise in the number of respondents identifying Russia as their most trusted ally — up to 21 per cent from just 9 per cent in 2016.
The US, by contrast, dropped to 17 per cent, from 25 per cent a year ago, reflecting widespread pessimism about Donald Trump and his leadership. Nearly two-thirds of those polled — some 64 per cent — viewed Mr Trump’s presidency with concern, anger or fear, compared with 19 per cent who were positive.
“Five out of six young Arabs view Donald Trump unfavourably . . . Anti-American views are on the rise and now Russia — not the US — is seen as the region’s top international ally,” the report concluded.
Russia’s intervention to support Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has persuaded Gulf powers to increase their diplomatic overtures to Moscow, given Russia’s more muscular presence. While young Arabs in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the biggest backers of Syria’s rebels, are more likely to identify Russia as an enemy, respondents in other Gulf states, notably Kuwait, were more open to Moscow.
The report also showed that the United Arab Emirates, up eight points to 36 per cent, had replaced Saudi Arabia as the biggest ally. Qatar was up to 17 per cent from 12 per cent last year. The UAE is also the country that most young Arabs would like to live and work in.
By contrast, only 11 per cent of respondents viewed non-Arab Iran as an ally, down from 13 per cent last year.
Unemployment was regarded as the biggest obstacle facing young Arabs, along with Isis, also known as Daesh, and the threat from terrorism. Reflecting the generational divide, more than 80 per cent of respondents agreed overwhelmingly that governments needed to do more to address the needs of young people.
The survey carried out face-to-face interviews with 3,500 18-24-year-olds in 16 countries in the month to March 7. The survey interviewed 200 respondents in each country represented, except for Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt with 300 respondents each, Iraq with 250 and the Palestinian territories with 150.
The interviews were conducted after Mr Trump signed executive orders limiting immigration from some Muslim-majority states but before he ordered air strikes on Syria in response to the regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons.
A quarter of respondents said Mr Trump’s presidency would have the largest impact on the Middle East over the next five years.
In 2016 Iraq, Yemen, the Palestinian territories and Lebanon regarded the US as an enemy. This year, these four nations were joined by Qatar, Libya, Algeria and Egypt.
Mr Trump is regarded as anti-Muslim by 70 per cent of respondents, the survey said.
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