Africa's complex relationship with its former colonial powers, particularly France, remains a defining feature of the continent's politics and economics. As the recent coup in Niger demonstrates, African nations continue to grapple with the lasting impacts of colonial rule even decades after gaining independence.
The West African nation of Niger provides a prime example of neo-colonialism at work. Niger's vast uranium deposits have long been exploited by French companies, powering over a third of France's electricity grid. Yet the average Nigerien lives without access to electricity. Contracts governing the uranium trade are negotiated in secret, ensuring minimal economic benefit for Niger. Popular protests in the capital Niamey deride this arrangement, with activists demanding “France must prove the time for secret agreements, closed negotiations and pressures is over.”
But France is reluctant to relinquish its outsized influence in its former colonies. The recent Niger coup, which ousted a French-backed president, provoked condemnation from Paris and Washington. However, protesters welcomed the possibility of a government less aligned with the West. Russian flags appeared amidst the crowds, signalling a wish for partnerships beyond the familiar channels of French neo-colonial control.
The grievances driving Niger's political turmoil are echoed across the continent. The colonial borders cutting across Africa constrain regional integration and breed conflict. Western-backed loans and monetary policies, such as the CFA franc shared by fourteen African countries, undermine economic sovereignty. Militant groups like Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb thrive in the power vacuums left by botched Western interventions.
China and Russia have adeptly capitalized on African frustration with the Western status quo. In exchange for commodities and geopolitical influence, they provide infrastructure and military assistance with fewer conditions attached. South Africa pointedly excluded France, the UK, and US from the upcoming BRICS summit it is hosting. As one of its officials remarked, “international rules are very comfortable for some people to use when it suits them.”
If Africa's colonial legacy remains stubbornly hard to shake, it is because the power imbalance at the root of the colonial project has never been fully dislodged. South Africa's call for the UN General Assembly, where every nation has a voice, to play a greater role in global governance comes up against the reality of the Security Council's structure. The permanent membership and veto power of former imperial powers continues to shape interactions between the West and the post-colonial world.
True decolonization requires the descendants of colonizers to reckon with history, not just during the era of direct rule but in its modern aftermath. It also requires concrete changes to international governance, like reforming the UNSC veto, that empower the formerly colonized. Africans are understandably wary that recent Western condemnation of Russian imperialism in Ukraine signifies an epiphany on colonial injustice. Until the inequality between nations that colonialism engraved is mitigated, African countries will keep grasping for sovereignty.
The era of colonialism left scars across continents. Africa in particular remains hobbled by borders and economic relationships that enriched Europe at its expense. Neo-colonial policies continue to limit self-determination and breed resentment toward the West. Lasting justice requires both material changes to global power structures and a reckoning with history. For descendent nations like France and Britain, it is not enough to decry imperialism only when Russia practices it. They must also take responsibility for their own colonial past, confronting how it shapes Africa's present.
True decolonization remains unfinished business. The protests in Niger and pivot towards new international partners demonstrates African nations are still fighting for the sovereignty and prosperity that colonial rule denied them.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0