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21 century Africa
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It’s a different world now!

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Post-independence m'zuŋ u colonial powers never allowed their former African real
economic freedom. Anyone who doubts that should get hold of the Al Jazeera

documentary, "France's thirst for energy".

A major feature of this report is the many verbal descriptions spoken directly to
camera of a former French Intelligence agent of exactly how France controlled an African

President, his government and their decisions. At least 23 out of the 54 present day
African states were formed from French African colonies.

Even today, 14 African countries are tied to either the Central African CFA Franc or the

West African CFA franc. Established in 1945, immediately preceding the period of African
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Independence. The Coopération financière en Afrique central was originally sold to
African leaders as way of underpinning individual countries’ economies. Critics claim that

the CFA Franc now interferes with African government’s ability to develop their economies.
Some critics have gone further and also claim that under CFA African countries were

paying France more than they received in terms of aid.

It was only as recently as 2019-2020 that France dropped the requirement for CFA
countries to have to deposit 50% of their foreign exchange reserves with the French

Treasury.
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Previous chapters in this book detail a wide range of tactics used by other m'zuŋ u
powers designed to frustrate true African Independence.

Unsurprisingly, the post-colonial period has seen a number of attempts by African
leaders to gain a greater degree of economic freedom.

 Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
Economic self-sufficiency was pursued as a goal by some members to escape the
economic domination of both the USA and the USSR while modernising the
countries' infrastructure. Currently, every African state (other than South Sudan and
Western Sahara) is a NAM member.
 G77 and New International Economic Order (NIEO)
The main principles adopted by NIEO were:
 Developing countries must be entitled to regulate and control the activities of
multinational corporations operating within their territory.
 They must be free to nationalise or expropriate foreign property on conditions
favourable to them.
 They must be free to set up associations of primary commodities producers similar
to the OPEC; all other states must recognise this right and refrain from taking
economic, military, or political measures calculated to restrict it.