The West struggles to scuttle good intentions in Africa while proposing to replace or introduce unpopular policies in the continent. Why is it so?
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Niger is a sovereign state, why should ECOWAS invade it?
Why Nigeria is so interested in leading this impending proxy war with her sister states deserves some in the thorough explanations. first place. Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso are sovereign nations. Shouldn’t their affairs be their internal affairs?
Are these coups not sponsored by foreign countries?
I feel that Russia and other foreign nations have a hand in the coups in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. We saw that in Lybia when the West came in disguise as if it was on a humanitarian mission.
European empires controlled the majority of African lands in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Africa has long been a puppet to the West. For Africa to emancipate from a third-rate continent, it needs to rally around its 54 countries with strong working policies. There has been the use of theRead more
European empires controlled the majority of African lands in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Africa has long been a puppet to the West. For Africa to emancipate from a third-rate continent, it needs to rally around its 54 countries with strong working policies.
There has been the use of the term United States of Africa in speeches by African leaders. Much as the coinage was mentioned first by Marcus Garvey in his poem “Hail, United States of Africa” in 1924, successive African leaders embraced it and Garvey’s ideas and formation systems deeply influenced the rebirth of the African Union.
In February 2009, upon being elected chairman of the 53-nation African Union in Ethiopia, Muammar Gaddafi told the assembled African leaders: “I shall continue to insist that our sovereign countries work to achieve the United States of Africa.” Consequently, Gaddafi proposed:
1. a single African military force.
2. a single currency.
3. a single passport for Africans to move freely around the continent. However other African leaders appealed they will study the proposal’s implications, and re-discuss it in May 2009.
Gaddafi had widened the scope of the proposed federation to accommodate the Caribbean: Haiti, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, and other islands featuring a large African diaspora.
It can be argued, Gaddafi also received more criticism for his proposed United States of Africa than the West. He didn’t get the needed support for that vision from other African leaders.
Take for instance the expressions of some of the African leaders, especially Jacob Zuma of South Africa who, a week before Gaddafi’s death during the Libyan Civil War, expressed relief at the regime’s downfall, siting that Gaddafi had been “intimidating” many African heads of state and government to gain influence throughout the continent and suggesting that the African Union will function better without Gaddafi and his repeated proposals for a unitary African government.
While some African leaders considered the African project to have died with Gaddafi, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe expressed interest in reviving the project. But, with the 2017 Zimbabwean coup d’état, Mugabe resigned as President. He died on September 6, 2019.
Ultimately, African leaders are more opposed to Africa’s emancipation than the West. Much as the West benefits from Africa’s backwardness, African leaders are to decide the fate of their continent.
See lessIt is not accurate to say that Western leaders are opposed to a united Africa. While there may be some individuals or groups who hold such a view, it is important to note that Western countries have supported various initiatives aimed at promoting unity and cooperation among African nations. HistoriRead more
It is not accurate to say that Western leaders are opposed to a united Africa. While there may be some individuals or groups who hold such a view, it is important to note that Western countries have supported various initiatives aimed at promoting unity and cooperation among African nations.
Historically, Western powers have played a significant role in the fragmentation of Africa through colonialism and the drawing of artificial borders that did not reflect the traditional ethnic and cultural divisions on the continent. However, since the wave of decolonization in the mid-20th century, many Western countries have provided support for regional integration efforts, such as the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), among others.
Moreover, Western countries have provided aid and support to African countries to help them address common challenges such as poverty, disease, conflict, and underdevelopment. Many of these efforts are aimed at promoting stability and economic growth, which are seen as essential for the long-term prosperity and security of both Africa and the wider world.
That being said, it is important to recognize that some Western countries may have their interests and priorities when it comes to relationships with African countries. These interests may not always align with the goals of African leaders or the general population. African countries need to engage in meaningful dialogue and collaboration with all partners, including Western countries, to advance their interests and promote regional cooperation and integration.
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