A “Battle for hearts and minds”? EU digital diplomacy toward the Global South

Abstract Against the backdrop of the polarization created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and growing competition between the US and China, a “battle for the hearts and minds” of the Global South is taking place, with the digital realm serving as a major theater for such a battle. Based on a review of the literature, an analysis of official documents as well as data collected via expert interviews with EU officials, this study delves into the state of the art of EU digital diplomacy toward the Global South, problematizing key concepts and categories; exploring the role of actors, audiences, and messages; and providing some policy recommendations.