RUSSIA has the capability to assist with the economic development of Africa and could be a superior replacement to Western countries that are currently profiting from African resources, says an analyst.
In an interview with Press TV, Mike Harris, a US-based journalist and political analyst, said Russia has an edge over Western countries as it has never had a colonial presence in Africa, and may not be viewed in a negative manner by the indigenous peoples of Africa.
He said the ‘opportunity exists for Russia’ to assist with the development of the African continent which can benefit the countries and indigenous populations there.
‘The West and in particularly the US, UK and France are concerned about Russian involvement in Africa, because this will create a competitive environment, where currently none exists,’ he remarked.
‘This will force Western countries to make more expensive offers and lucrative contracts which will increase the expenses for Western companies who are currently exploiting natural resources of Africa.’
That, the American analyst, hastened to add, will cause the profit margins for the Western companies who operate in Africa to decrease, and bring down their performance.
Representatives of 49 countries, including 17 heads of state, took part in the two-day Russia-Africa summit at the end of July in St Petersburg.
A joint declaration called for ‘the establishment of a more just, balanced and stable multipolar world order, firmly opposing all types of international confrontation in the African continent’.
Russian President Vladimir Putin promises to give them tens of thousands of tons of grain within months despite sanctions by the US and other Western states over the Ukraine war.
‘We will be ready to provide Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Central African Republic and Eritrea with 25-50,000 tons of free grain each in the next 3-4 months,’ the president said. ‘We will also provide free delivery of these products to consumers.’
Harris told Press TV Africa has enormous undeveloped reserves of a multitude of minerals, energy and other natural resources that the West has been exploiting.
‘The West has been working to lock up these resources via political manipulations and economic agreements. These actions are needed to ensure access to essential mineral and energy resources and other commodities needed to enable economic growth as technology advances,’ he said.
‘Without the mandatory mineral, energy, and other commodities continued economic development of the Western Countries will slow and be retarded from advancing.’
The US-based commentator also referred to internal problems facing the continent that impede its development and advancement to become an advanced society.
He said many African leaders serve their term of office, loot the country and then flee their homeland and retire to Switzerland with hundreds of millions of dollars looted from people.
‘Also, Africa is a tribal society, ergo all members of the tribe are considered as family. This alone thwarts economic development,’ Miller told Press TV.
‘Africans who open a business will not charge family/tribal members and relatives for goods or services. This results in the majority of African-owned businesses going bankrupt and failing in a very short time. This is a cultural issue that must be overcome for Africa to develop economically.’
Also commenting on the relations of the West to Africa, Michael Bruck, a Germany-based political activist, told Press TV that the United States and its allies in Africa, especially France, have for years used military coups to consolidate their power on the African continent and floor resources.
Bruck said the US and its allies claim to bring democracy and freedom to Africa but in reality have sought to gain a foothold in the continent.
‘The last big wave of military coups and the so-called colour revolutions was around 2010 and 2011 in the northern African countries,’ Bruck remarked.
‘They supported regime changes in Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt. They tried the same in Libya but the regime change in a colour revolution failed, so they used NATO to support militant groups in Libya to fight against the government of Muammar al-Gadaffi.’
Referring to Western colonialism, the German activist said it is a ‘lie’ that Western countries fight for the people of Africa or bring development to the continent.
‘They just fight for the power of the Western bloc and resources. But in mainstream media, they try to glorify their wars as a fight for freedom and for peace,’ Bruck told Press TV.
‘Central Africa is a really important region for a lot of urgently needed resources – for example, France needs the uranium from Niger, but also oil, coal, and gold. They want to hold the access on countries like Niger, so they can determine who gets the minerals,’ he asserted.
The military coup against President Mohamed Bazoum in Niger has turned the tables against the West in the African country, with the new military establishment adopting an anti-Western stance.
France, the former coloniser of Niger, has condemned the takeover, saying it only recognises Bazoum as the legitimate ruler in Niamey. Americans have also been unnerved by the developments.
‘The USA has a big fear of losing control of the African continent. If the independence of Niger will be successful and the military coup won’t be undone, it will be the third country in the region to switch political sides,’ Bruck said.
He further emphasised that African countries, especially Niger, are tired of Western colonialism and have been seeking independence and political sovereignty.
‘In the main capital of Niger, Niamey, supporters of the military coup showed flags from Russia – it is a symbol of the new African self-confidence that they no more need the support of Western countries and have new partners,’ Bruck maintained.
‘It is a new political era and African people want to have power in their countries. They don’t want their homelands to be used as playgrounds for the interests of the Western countries,’ he stressed, adding that he anticipates shutting down Western military bases in Mali and Burkina Faso soon.
Referring to the strategic importance of Africa for Western countries, he stated that after centuries of slavery, Western countries founded their colonies and tried to connect them with their homelands.
‘Africa holds an important geographic position for the world, between the continents of the political West and Asia. When the African countries make themselves free from the influence of the West, there would be new alliances with countries from Asia,’ the activist said.
‘And that would be a big danger for the NATO states because the American dream to have power nearly all over the world would finally collapse.’
Junta leaders in Mali and Burkina Faso declared last Monday that any foreign military intervention in neighbouring Niger would be considered a declaration of war against them.
Mali and Burkina Faso announced that they would exit ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) and ‘adopt self-defence measures in support of the armed forces and the people of Niger’ if the bloc uses force.
