The African continent has long struggled with the aftermath of colonization. The effects of colonization are still deeply felt in various African countries, from economic inequalities to political unrest. The issue of neocolonialism remains a hotly debated topic, with some suggesting that African leaders are solely to blame for the continued exploitation of the continent. However, the reality is far more complex.
Undoubtedly, many African leaders have played a significant role in perpetuating neocolonialism. Greed, corruption, tribalism, and myopic thinking are all too prevalent in the corridors of power. The leaders often fail to consider the long-term implications of their policies, instead prioritizing personal gains and those of their cronies. This shortsightedness has led to economic policies that benefit only a select few, leaving many citizens in poverty.
But, it is important to note that neocolonialism is not a one-way street. International organizations like the IMF and World Bank also play a significant role in perpetuating neocolonialism. These organizations provide loans that are often coded as aid, which are meant to be paid back with interest. African leaders often fail to realize that these loans are merely neocolonialist constructs designed to keep African nations in perpetual debt.
The loans are almost never fully paid back on time, not because of the failure of respective nations to fulfill the intended timeline, but because there are often holes within the agreement that make it impossible to be a model borrower. Thus, poor African nations borrow these large sums which are often misused due to corruption and then are left to rectify the issues for which the loan was requested and pay back the loan. This creates an endless cycle of borrowing, which is why poor nations that often borrow from the World Bank remain poor.
The treachery of the IMF, World Bank, and other international corporations is a form of covert neocolonialism. The CFA Franc and its counterpart used in Central Africa present with more direct overt neocolonialism. France today has a leading say not only on the present state of economic affairs in the nations that use the Franc but also on their future. Despite the various studies and research that have shown how the Franc benefits France to the detriment of these nations, their leaders continue to use and revere the Franc.
Moreover, France has cast such a profound shadow on its former colonies that candidates whom the French prefer usually land in power. France has even gone so far as to remove democratically elected leaders who refused to play by their rules. This was the case with Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo, who was unceremoniously dumped out of power by France, in favor of Alassane Ouattara, who had a French wife. Similarly, Thomas Sankara, a Pan-Africanist and strong-willed leader who condemned post-colonial reparations to France, was effectively silenced and replaced with his myopic greedy best friend Blaise Compaore, who returned Burkina Faso to the IMF and undid all of Sankara's achievements.
The truth is, strong visionary leaders could easily eradicate neocolonialism from the surface of Africa. However, greed and corruption are rewards too enticing for many African leaders to ignore. Until there is a concerted effort to address the root causes of neocolonialism and hold both African leaders and international organizations accountable, the cycle of exploitation will continue.
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