Africa? What, where? Quick, arrange for a Summit...no agenda never mind

 Lloyd Austin just gave a speech telling the African leaders that the presence of Russia in Africa is destabilising because Russia is selling weapons and paying mercenaries in Africa. What, what? Russia is paying mercenaries and selling weapons in Africa to destabilise Africa?  And these words came from the mouth of the world's number suppliers of weapons and mercenary forces in Africa? Is Austin in dreamland or smoking marijuana? If selling weapons and paying mercenaries are destabilising, then the biggest supplier of weapons and paymaster of mercenaries must be the most destabilising force and America must be the ONE that is destabilising Africa. And obviously Austin does not know this. Or does he? He might as well tell the African leaders he is the best example of how good the USA is to Africans. If his forefathers were not sold to the Americans, he would not have become a Defence Secretary.

After more than 500 years of imperialism, colonialism, apartheid and looting of Africa, not forgetting the cruel and inhumane hunting of Africans as slaves for America, Africa is still as poor as a church mouse. Didn't the kind and generous white colonialists do anything to help the Africans? NO!. After all the looting and plundering, they left Africa to die. They forgot about Africa. Africa was left to rot on its own, with barely any development or investment by the colonial powers.

According to Zainab Usman, African Director of Carnegie Endowment, to most Americans, Africa is a humanitarian case, a basket case, the world's worst basket case according to Trump, the ex president of the USA. Why is Africa a basket case when it has the most precious stones and essential minerals, including oil and uranium? Who condemned Africa to become a basket case by stealing its natural resources and wealth without paying a single cent?

Biden and his administration suddenly woke up and discovered that there is a place called Africa. And the investments and infrastructure development by China is destabilising Africa! Can you believe it? Where were America and the European powers when China was investing in Africa and helping the Africans to rebuild their countries and economies?

The Africans must forgive the Americans and the European powers, their former colonial powers and slave masters. They have gotten so rich with African resources, gold, diamonds, minerals and oil and got drunk with African wealth. They forgot that they were there in Africa. They forgot that for a few hundred years, Africa was conquered and owned by them, the Africans condemned by them as slaves.

Now they are going to help the Africans by inviting the African leaders for a party in the White House to show their kindness and generosity. How did the Americans got to know there is a continent called Africa and with 55 countries? Because they discovered the Chinese and the Russians were there, investing and trading with the Africans, rebuilding the ransacked countries of Africa by their former colonial powers, America was one of them.

So, they going to offer aid to Africa? To many Americans, what Africa needs is aid, not development. Africa is a hopeless case.The Africans had turned to the World Bank and IMF and many European powers, and America for assistance to rebuild their countries, to invest in their countries. But most were turned down. These American and European countries would not lend money to the African fearing that they would not pay back, could not pay back. They literally abandoned Africa to their own doings, to find their own ways. 

Africa turned to China and other non white countries. China was the one that came marching in since the 1960s when China was still very poor. But China worked with many African countries. Today, China is able to do more for Africa and is in every corner of Africa, building, investing and trading with African countries. Africa is rising and getting off its feet, some starting to take off, working with China, not with their former colonial power or the USA.

And to the Americans, this is bad, very bad, debt traps. America is now coming to Africa to help Africa. Is that the real reason, or because they want to increase their influence over the Africans? Why now, why after 500 years of colonial plunders? Why is Africa suddenly an object of amusement to the Americans, something that becomes important to the Americans?

The Americans still think the Africans are stupid. They still think throwing some aids to the Africans would do and the Americans would come crawling back for more aids. Africa is now led by many wise leaders that want to develop their countries to become rich and prosperous, to lift themselves from being seen as basket cases. Trump was brutally frank and honest by saying Africa is the world's worst basket case. And he left it at that. Nothing need to be done for Africa. 

Biden is going to do something? Is Biden pricked by his conscience or is this an act of compassion? Is it a bit too little or too late? China came to Africa, signed economic development and trade agreements without any political strings attached. It is simply economic cooperation, no interference in African domestic affairs, no conditions attached. Would Biden do the same, no conditions, no strings attached? Or would it be conditional like Qatar or Saudi Arabia, sanctioned China and Russia, choose sides or no aids?

The aids promised would only arrive if the African countries turn against China and Russia, break ties with China and Russia? All American aids comes with conditions, human rights, democracy, terrorism, and taking sides in America's war with China and Russia. Period.

How long would the feel good feeling lasts after the Summit? When would the Americans start to threaten the Africans like they threatened the Saudis with more consequences and cutting off the sale of F35s from Qatar? That is the true colour of the Americans and their hegemonic interests for pretending to be nice and kind to the Africans. 

PS. Professor Lina Benabdallah said the Summit with 49 African leaders is more like theatre with all the rhetoric about loving Africans, want to invite Africa into G20, want to give Africa a bigger say in world affairs, blah, blah, blah. The Pacific Islands got more attention than the whole of Africa, got invited to the White House first. Africa is queuing behind the Pacific Islands in terms of American priority and importance or irrelevance.