Francafrique was a term coined first by the “founding father” of my country, Cote d’Ivoire. The term was firstly used to denote the positive relationship between the French-colonized African countries and the French Republic. Whether the then president, Felix Houphouët-Boigny 
naively endorsed the phenomenon taking place at the moment or accurately described African affairs of the time can be the subject of much discussion.
Although Houphouët-Boigny was the creator, the individual who first took on a negative approach and aided to the connotation we currently have for the word Francafrique was Mr. François-
Xavier Verschave. Mr. Verschave was a French economist who described the Francafrique as “the secret criminality in the upper echelons of French politics and economy, where a kind of underground Republic is hidden from view”. To the point, what he meant was, French governmental executives intentionally employed the good relationship existing with the former colonies to satisfy not only the interest of their nation but also their personal interest, at the exponential detriment of Africa and in concert with its transvestite “leaders”. In his point of view, Africa was used as a cow drained of its milk while it was lured with not-so-fresh grass. Mr. Verschave made a lot of noise and won the trust and acceptance of numerous – non-thinking, externationalist – observers.
I certainly do not claim a complete French innocence – or that of other Western powers for that matter. However, Mr. Verschave was wrong, terribly wrong. He was so wrong that the repercussions of his claim may be the cause of a disaster en cours in Africa. I highly doubt the man was a malicious individual who purposely did what he did. I reverently respect his effort denouncing what is known as the Foccart Network and try to open the very-well-closed eyes of African leaders. It failed. It failed because moronic dictators are agile in evading any threat to their kingship and hegemony over their countries’ resources.
These leaders emerged victorious when talking about the concept of Francafrique. They found a way to blame colonization, western imperialism, arbitrary delimitations of frontiers, slavery, unjust economic systems, Western inferences in internal affairs recently, and everything else you might think of. Let’s face it, decades after the slave trade, decades after the colonization, we allow African despots to conceal their failures by partaking in a guilt game?
The African problem is one that involve bloodthirsty military individuals (e.g. General Samuel Doe, General Guei Robert, General Mobutu Sese Seko
, General Abacha, General Siad Barre General Moussa Traore) capturing power, indebting their countries and depositing amounts of money greater than their entire countries’ debt into Swiss bank account.
The African problem is one where promising African intellectual burgeoning with revolutionary ideas succumb to corruption after rising to power- Laurent Gbagbo? John Kufuor? Thabo M’Beki? Abdoulaye Wade?
The African problem is a problem of fleeing brains. Successful African abroad accept to be psychologically expatriated, to force a cultural adaptation in the North, live “comfortable” lives in suburban neighborhoods in Paris, London, or Washington DC. Have monetary gains taken a toll on African scruples? Have Mercedes taken a toll on African identities? Has the cold and the snow taken a toll on African consciences?
The African Problem is one where so-called presidents stand up at the United Nations tribune to beg for aid from other countries. They do so while hinting on slavery, mentioning colonization, alluding the fault to every one else but themselves who are leading– or at least are supposed to lead– their nations. It is good to keep in mind the enormous richness of the continent, mineral resources abound, natural resources are plenty, even oil; the new gold is profusely existent. The aid attributed to African countries, if taken into reasonable account would have surely sufficed to respectably straighten African economies.
The African solution is just that, an African Solution. No Westerner– or Easterner as it seems relevant now– will ever want to solve Africa’s problem; and that without involving benefits for his own country or continent. China for example, is a threat to a successful African reformation. Who do you think benefits from the crisis in Darfur? Is it Sudan for its plethora of weapons and dead bodies or China from the Sudanese oil?
The African Solution is to refuse sending aid to Africa. Encouraging private investments and entrepreneurial undertakings would produce more dividends for the continent. Donor countries must adopt a policy of rewarding democratic countries–only; an area where those countries are profoundly guilty. They must stop at once to deal with African problems in terms of nation to individual i.e. conversing with African politicians as respectable individuals who will channel benefits to their population; rather a nation to populations approach should be developed.
The African Solution is for the West to stop taking self-conscious, apologetic, culpable, and over compassionate stances when it comes to AIDS. AIDS is perhaps the most pressing danger to Africa’s renaissance. It is decimating the African Human Capital at an incontrollable velocity. Yet, all of the most affected countries do not seem to find it necessary to take critical decisions to halt the spread of the pandemic. Rather, South Africa who is one of the most–if not the most– affected African nation, decided to buy military equipments and conduct experiments. I have to
guess this endeavor was carried out in order to scare off its many inexistent enemies. Back to the point, Western corporations must stop infantilizing incompetent governments. It is not responsible to use arguments as “we are poor therefore; provide us with treatments at cost prices”. It is irresponsible for two reasons: First, treating the affected individuals when there is no cure is not a viable solution on the long term scale; rather emphasis should be on prevention and education. Second, there is an inexistent support to administer these drugs. The health care facilities need to be upgraded in order to be able to appropriately dispense the treatments.
Africa is not poor and we must remember that at all times. Culturally, colonization did not bring to Africa, virtually, any new form of modernization. Africans had democracies, parliamentary institutions and procedures, currency, markets, all according to culturally working African precepts. let’s have the courage not to be duped by obtuse, self-adulating sycophants.
“In Africa it’s the blind leading the clueless” – Dr. George B.N. Ayittey
naively endorsed the phenomenon taking place at the moment or accurately described African affairs of the time can be the subject of much discussion.Although Houphouët-Boigny was the creator, the individual who first took on a negative approach and aided to the connotation we currently have for the word Francafrique was Mr. François-
Xavier Verschave. Mr. Verschave was a French economist who described the Francafrique as “the secret criminality in the upper echelons of French politics and economy, where a kind of underground Republic is hidden from view”. To the point, what he meant was, French governmental executives intentionally employed the good relationship existing with the former colonies to satisfy not only the interest of their nation but also their personal interest, at the exponential detriment of Africa and in concert with its transvestite “leaders”. In his point of view, Africa was used as a cow drained of its milk while it was lured with not-so-fresh grass. Mr. Verschave made a lot of noise and won the trust and acceptance of numerous – non-thinking, externationalist – observers.I certainly do not claim a complete French innocence – or that of other Western powers for that matter. However, Mr. Verschave was wrong, terribly wrong. He was so wrong that the repercussions of his claim may be the cause of a disaster en cours in Africa. I highly doubt the man was a malicious individual who purposely did what he did. I reverently respect his effort denouncing what is known as the Foccart Network and try to open the very-well-closed eyes of African leaders. It failed. It failed because moronic dictators are agile in evading any threat to their kingship and hegemony over their countries’ resources.
These leaders emerged victorious when talking about the concept of Francafrique. They found a way to blame colonization, western imperialism, arbitrary delimitations of frontiers, slavery, unjust economic systems, Western inferences in internal affairs recently, and everything else you might think of. Let’s face it, decades after the slave trade, decades after the colonization, we allow African despots to conceal their failures by partaking in a guilt game?
The African problem is one that involve bloodthirsty military individuals (e.g. General Samuel Doe, General Guei Robert, General Mobutu Sese Seko
, General Abacha, General Siad Barre General Moussa Traore) capturing power, indebting their countries and depositing amounts of money greater than their entire countries’ debt into Swiss bank account.The African problem is one where promising African intellectual burgeoning with revolutionary ideas succumb to corruption after rising to power- Laurent Gbagbo? John Kufuor? Thabo M’Beki? Abdoulaye Wade?
The African problem is a problem of fleeing brains. Successful African abroad accept to be psychologically expatriated, to force a cultural adaptation in the North, live “comfortable” lives in suburban neighborhoods in Paris, London, or Washington DC. Have monetary gains taken a toll on African scruples? Have Mercedes taken a toll on African identities? Has the cold and the snow taken a toll on African consciences?
The African Problem is one where so-called presidents stand up at the United Nations tribune to beg for aid from other countries. They do so while hinting on slavery, mentioning colonization, alluding the fault to every one else but themselves who are leading– or at least are supposed to lead– their nations. It is good to keep in mind the enormous richness of the continent, mineral resources abound, natural resources are plenty, even oil; the new gold is profusely existent. The aid attributed to African countries, if taken into reasonable account would have surely sufficed to respectably straighten African economies.
The African solution is just that, an African Solution. No Westerner– or Easterner as it seems relevant now– will ever want to solve Africa’s problem; and that without involving benefits for his own country or continent. China for example, is a threat to a successful African reformation. Who do you think benefits from the crisis in Darfur? Is it Sudan for its plethora of weapons and dead bodies or China from the Sudanese oil?
The African Solution is to refuse sending aid to Africa. Encouraging private investments and entrepreneurial undertakings would produce more dividends for the continent. Donor countries must adopt a policy of rewarding democratic countries–only; an area where those countries are profoundly guilty. They must stop at once to deal with African problems in terms of nation to individual i.e. conversing with African politicians as respectable individuals who will channel benefits to their population; rather a nation to populations approach should be developed.
The African Solution is for the West to stop taking self-conscious, apologetic, culpable, and over compassionate stances when it comes to AIDS. AIDS is perhaps the most pressing danger to Africa’s renaissance. It is decimating the African Human Capital at an incontrollable velocity. Yet, all of the most affected countries do not seem to find it necessary to take critical decisions to halt the spread of the pandemic. Rather, South Africa who is one of the most–if not the most– affected African nation, decided to buy military equipments and conduct experiments. I have to
guess this endeavor was carried out in order to scare off its many inexistent enemies. Back to the point, Western corporations must stop infantilizing incompetent governments. It is not responsible to use arguments as “we are poor therefore; provide us with treatments at cost prices”. It is irresponsible for two reasons: First, treating the affected individuals when there is no cure is not a viable solution on the long term scale; rather emphasis should be on prevention and education. Second, there is an inexistent support to administer these drugs. The health care facilities need to be upgraded in order to be able to appropriately dispense the treatments.Africa is not poor and we must remember that at all times. Culturally, colonization did not bring to Africa, virtually, any new form of modernization. Africans had democracies, parliamentary institutions and procedures, currency, markets, all according to culturally working African precepts. let’s have the courage not to be duped by obtuse, self-adulating sycophants.
“In Africa it’s the blind leading the clueless” – Dr. George B.N. Ayittey
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