Written
by Gael Masengi
It seems like the dark side of the
neo-colonial relationship France has in Africa can now be laid to rest as the
French people have chosen a leftist.
From the critics’ point of view, the
relation between France and its former African colonies has always been about
personal interests rather than political and diplomatic as it was originally
conceived. Just few weeks ago, the investigative French website Mediapart had
revealed how former president Nicholas Sarkozy who was said to be the reformist
of the much criticised “France-Afrique” has followed on the footsteps of its
predecessor Jacques Chirac who received briefcases full of money from various
African head of state during his presidency. Like Chirac, Sarkozy used the 50
million Euros given to him by the late Libya’s colonel Gadhafi to win his 2007
presidential election, allegations Mediapart can prove.
In
an interview conducted last year by Le Journal du Dimanche with a former
adviser to Mr Chirac, Robert Bourgi, said he was acting as a middle man between
African leaders and the Elysée.
Bourgi who later became Sarkozy’s unofficial adviser
claimed to have carry regularly suitcases stuffed with millions of francs from
a string of African leaders. He said, he shuttled between African countries
including Burkina Faso, Congo, Gabon, Ivory Coast and Senegal for more than 25
years. He also stated five African leaders as regular “donor” include: Abdoulaye
Wade (Senegal), Blaise Compaoré
(Burkina Faso), Laurent Gagbo (Ivory Coast), Dennis
Sassou Nguesso (Congo) and Omar Bongo (Gabon). These allegations raise questions
of the role France plays in African dictatorship, and whether the people from
those countries do benefit from this kind of deal. Today millions of children
will die in Africa because of hunger and diseases yet their governments will be
“unable” to provide for them but top French politicians will be somehow served
with the desired amount of cash to “reinforce diplomatic ties” with those
governments. France which is a permanent member of the United Nations Security
Council do simply use its position to protect its “allies” against any kind of
sanction or indictment from international organisations, no wonder of the all
mentioned countries a true democracy does not exist and most the leaders have
been occupying the presidency office for more than ten years with no plan of
transparent elections.
When Felix Houphouët Boigny of Ivory Coast
first used the term “Fance-Afrique”, it was meant to signify a close economic relationship
French speaking Africa was willing to maintain with France, while acceding to
independence, now the term represents more a negative than positive.
 |
| Francois Hollande |
Now there is a new occupier at the Elysee
Palace, will he make any difference? YES, I believe. Two weeks before his
victory, the newly elected president of France, François Hollande held a press
conference down the Eiffel tower. During Q&A session, a Paris based
Congolese journalist asked Mr Hollande if he’s elected president whether he
will or not attend the Francophonie summit scheduled later this year in the
politically unstable Kinshasa, governed by an illegitimate government. “I will
never accept the fraudulent elections” Hollande said “I will make sure that the
relations between France and Africa is based on principles of solidarity,
economic and linguistic” regarding regimes, FH as known by French people said
they must respect the rules of democracy.
We can say, it’s a good start!
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