BURKINA FASO KICKSTARTS NATIONAL DEFENCE INDUSTRY

In this video clip, Burkina Faso’s prime minister, Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo (@gouvernementBF on X), addressed President Ibrahim Traoré on developing a national defence industry to prevent former coloniser France and other Western powers from blocking arms imports into Burkina Faso.

Arms are needed for Burkina Faso’s fight against t*rrorism, which surged following the 2011 NATO invasion of Libya.

On 11 July 2024, Traoré confirmed Western countries were blocking arms imports, adding, ‘It’s going to stop. We’re going to withdraw operating licences. You can’t exploit our resources and refuse to sell us equipment and block our equipment.’

Continued….. Years before Traoré came to power in a people-backed coup d’état that ousted a Western-aligned leader, Pan-Africanist and anti-imperialist activists in Burkina Faso and Mali accused France of blocking weapons imports from Russia. At the time, representatives from the Western-aligned governments of both countries had denied such claims.

Perhaps these Pan-Africanist voices were correct all along.

Video credit: @rtburkina

Sources

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PIWkEkn-7I

https://www.minute.bf/burkina-la-france-a-bel-et-bien-bloque-la-livraison-darmestribune

https://x.com/african_stream/status/1901505753719922943

On 13 March, during a virtual summit, leaders from the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) announced their plan to gradually withdraw military forces from the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This includes troops from the South African National Defence Forces.

The decision to withdraw comes after Angola's recent declaration that peace talks between the DRC and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group are scheduled to commence on 18 March in Luanda.

The SADC-led contingent was deployed two years ago to strengthen the Congolese army's efforts against M23, which has seized control of key areas in mineral-rich eastern DRC this year.

Recent clashes have resulted in the deaths of at least 19 soldiers from South Africa, Malawi and Tanzania, particularly during M23's assault on Goma, the region's largest city, in January.

Continued……According to Congolese Prime Minister Judith Suminwa, the recent escalation had claimed more than 7,500 lives by the last week of February and displaced hundreds of thousands.

In his announcement regarding the troop withdrawal, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa recognised the situation as ‘precarious’ but expressed optimism that a ceasefire could be reached, especially with the upcoming negotiations led by Angolan President João Lourenço and supported by various facilitators.

Political analyst Sandile Swanda has branded the situation ‘embarrassing’ for South Africa, noting that the country was ill-equipped to confront the Rwandan-backed rebels.

In February, Malawi's president also indicated that his country's troops would be withdrawn from the DRC, although he did not provide a specific reason for this decision.

As M23 continues to expand its territorial control, reports indicate that the group is preparing to attack Walikale, a town known for its mining resources.

Sources

https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/withdrawal-of-sandf-troops-from-drc-not-a-sign-of-defeat/

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/13/southern-africa-regional-bloc-to-withdraw-troops-from-drc-amid-m23-advance

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c05m013rppjo

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/sa-defence/sa-defence-sa-defence/deeply-irresponsible-to-send-overstretched-sandf-into-sadc-mission-in-the-drc/?__cf_chl_tk=GjN8KYNym9N7jm7oOSTW9LkJST5C2vSzBEIbiBiHOT0-1741944632-1.0.1.1-k2bIDj7BXeqUdtO8ZVGKSA0rHwGsuqKlCCIFGBzoZZk

ISRAEL’S NEFARIOUS ROLE IN AFRICA

While we discussed with activist @mariamtheugandan (IG) why Africans need to show solidarity with Palestinians, Israel’s role in Africa came up. Its involvement in Africa has historically aligned with colonial and imperialist interests. For example, early Zi*nist leaders considered settling in East Africa, specifically Uganda and Kenya, before choosing Palestine, a decision driven by strategy rather than religion, as @ahmedkaballo (X) argued. Their correspondence with colonial figures like Britain’s Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902) highlighted their expansionist mindset, viewing their movement as part of a broader colonial project.

Continued……In modern times, Israel’s fingerprints have been all over African arms deals and resource exploitation, and it has been muddying geopolitical waters throughout the continent. Israel reportedly supplied weapons during the Rwandan g*nocide, currently loots Congo through businessman Dan Gertler’s control over valuable resources, and has reportedly armed the Sudanese paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the foreign-backed proxy war raging for almost two years. Israel has also played a divisive role in North Africa, backing Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara despite the African Union’s opposition. Perhaps most notably, Israel maintained strong ties with South Africa’s apartheid regime, reinforcing settler-colonial ideology and supporting Western interests in the region.

Watch the whole conversation on our X or Rumble channels.

Sources

https://fozmuseum.com/blog/jewish-homeland-africa/

http://www.hatembazian.com/books/palestine-it-is-something-colonial/

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/did-israel-arm-rwanda-during-1994-genocide

https://www.newsweek.com/sifting-through-dark-business-131907

https://copperbeltkatangamining.com/dan-gertler-a-first-step-towards-ending-the-plunder-of-natural-resources-in-the-drc-but-too-early-to-declare-victory/

https://www.military.africa/2023/10/israeli-artillery-seen-with-rsf-forces/

https://www.reuters.com/world/morocco-says-israel-recognises-its-sovereignty-over-western-sahara-2023-07-17/

https://mondoweiss.net/2013/12/alliance-relationship-apartheid/

USAID IN AFRICA: ‘WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING’

Dr Arikana Chihombori-Quao, former African Union ambassador to the United States, lauded the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), arguing it had attempted to interfere in Africa’s progress.

In a recent interview with journalist Steve Clemson (@scclemons on X) of the Al Jazeera TV network, the former ambassador (@HEDrArikana on X) said that USAID’s exit from Africa is a wake-up call for the continent. She argued that African leaders must look within to create self-reliance, reminding us of the impact of the Global North hoarding medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, forcing Africa to fend for itself.  The People’s Vaccine Alliance reported that nearly 70 lower-income countries could only vaccinate 1 in 10, while rich countries comprising just 14 per cent of the world’s population hoarded 53 per cent of available doses.

Continued….. Furthermore, Chihombori-Quao emphasised that USAID has little to show for its extensive investments in education and healthcare across Africa. She reiterated that the agency often contributed to instability while masquerading its actions under the pretexts of environmental protection, human rights or social justice. For example, USAID has been accused of indirectly funding Boko Haram, an extremist group in Nigeria. Boko Haram’s long-running insurgency in northeastern Nigeria has destabilised that region, causing nearly 40,000 fatalities in Borno state between 2011 and 2023.

Video credit: @aljazeera 

Sources

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/africasource/trumps-dismantling-of-usaid-offers-a-new-beginning-for-africa

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55229894

https://newscentral.africa/usaid-funded-boko-haram-other-terror-groups-us-lawmaker/

https://appliednetsci.springeropen.com/articles/10.1007/s41109-020-00264-4

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1197570/deaths-caused-by-boko-haram-in-nigeria

Niger's Ministry of Foreign Affairs published an official communiqué on 17 March announcing that Niger is withdrawing from the French-backed international body known as the International Organisation of the Francophonie. 

Interestingly enough, the organisation, referred to colloquially as the Francophonie, was founded in Niger during the Niamey Conference on 20 March 1970, regrouping most French-speaking countries on five continents. By 2018, the organisation claimed to represent 321 million French speakers.

The Francophonie is headquartered in Paris and claims to 1) promote French language and cultural and linguistic diversity, 2) promote peace, democracy and human rights, 3) support education, training, higher education and scientific research, and 4) expand cooperation for sustainable development.

Continued……. However, many have accused the Francophonie of acting as a neo-colonial body that, outside of promoting cultural and scientific exchanges, pushes French-speaking countries toward sharing a foreign policy that revolves around France's interests. Furthermore, some argue that the organisation funding French language and cultural programmes works against African languages and cultures struggling under French cultural hegemony.

After people-backed coups d’état ousted Western-aligned leaders in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger between 2020 and 2023, the Francophonie suspended each of these states. However, the organisation did not suspend Gabon or Chad, which also ousted leaders during this time.

Algeria is the only former French colony to have rejected membership from the outset, while Niger is the first former French colony to withdraw.

News sources have also reported that Burkina Faso has withdrawn from the Francophonie, but the government has not officially announced a decision.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger broke off diplomatic and military relations with France over the past few years. In October, Niger 're-baptised' streets and monuments that once held French names.

With France’s influence crumbling in the region, is the Francophonie next in line to fall?

Sources

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conférence_de_Niamey
https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ladocumentationfrancaise.fr%2Fdossiers%2Ffrancophonie%2Fchronologie.shtml#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url

https://africasacountry.com/2020/09/the-specter-of-neocolonialism

https://information.tv5monde.com/afrique/sommet-de-la-francophonie-pourquoi-lalgerie-ne-veut-pas-dune-adhesion-loif-1437962

https://www.francophonie.org/la-francophonie-en-bref-754

https://www.francophonie.org/le-cpf-suspend-le-mali-de-la-francophonie-et-reaffirme-sa-solidarite-avec-le-peuple-malien-1423

https://www.francophonie.org/119e-cpf-suspension-burkina-faso-et-report-9es-jeux-en-2023

https://www.francophonie.org/le-cpf-suspend-le-niger-des-instances-de-la-francophonie-3037

https://www.20minutes.fr/monde/4144012-20250317-afrique-niger-burkina-faso-tournent-dos-francophonie

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/27/west-africas-coup-belt-did-malis-2020-army-takeover-change-the-region

https://www.france24.com/fr/afrique/20250318-le-niger-et-le-burkina-faso-quittent-l-organisation-internationale-de-la-francophonie

https://survie.org/themes/francafrique/article/la-francophonie-un-instrument-de-4824

https://www.jambonews.net/actualites/20181015-francophonie-le-triomphe-de-la-francafrique

RWANDA-BELGIUM SPAT ESCALATES: TIT-FOR-TAT EXPULSIONS

Rwanda and Belgium have just expelled each other’s diplomats tit for tat, as tensions between the two escalate over what Kigali claims are Brussels’ efforts to destabilise it. The European nation has reportedly been gathering international support to pressure the east African state into ending its involvement in the minerals war in eastern Congo. Our video digs deeper.

Sources

https://www.dw.com/en/belgium-rwanda-expel-diplomats-over-dr-congo-conflict/a-71944830

https://bankable.africa/en/mining/1401-686-coltan-rwandan-rebel-group-facilitates-smuggling-from-dr-congo-new-un-report-claims

Continued……https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/what-happening-rebels-congo-rwanda-b2686907.html

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250317-%F0%9F%94%B4-rwanda-cuts-diplomatic-ties-with-belgium-expels-all-diplomats

https://docs.un.org/en/s/2024/432

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/13/people-need-a-break-drc-conflict-reignites-dark-memories-of-congo-wars

https://www.rescue.org/article/conflict-drc-what-you-need-know-about-crisis

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/06/africa/dr-congo-goma-violence-deaths-intl-hnk/index.html

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2025-02-04/east-congo-city-of-goma-rushes-to-bury-bodies-after-rebel-offensive

On Monday, Rwanda-backed M23 rebels announced their withdrawal from peace talks with the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, just a day before the two sides were set to meet in Angola.

M23’s abrupt exit from the negotiations follows the EU’s imposition of sanctions on the group’s leadership and Rwandan military officials. These punitive measures, critics argue, don’t signal a genuine shift in policy - rather, they are a simple slap on the wrist, and won’t force Kigali to back down.

True to form, M23 has responded by playing the victim. On X, its spokesperson accused ‘certain international bodies’ of intentionally undermining peace initiatives in DRC and thereby, allegedly, rendering meaningful dialogue impossible. Did M23 ever intend to negotiate in good faith? It is a Rwandan tool and, like Kigali itself, thrives on conflict and looted resources.

Continued……Kinshasa seems to have called M23’s bluff, as a delegation from Congo is currently in Luanda for the scheduled talks. A spokesperson for Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi told Reuters that Kinshasa “affirms participation at the invitation of the mediators.”

But make no mistake - this is not a war against a mere rebel group. The DRC is under attack from a powerful proxy that serves as the Rwandan state’s smokescreen while it loots Congolese resources. DRC’s 30-year resource war has involved some 120 militia groups, many foreign-backed, vying for control of the country’s $24 trillion mineral wealth.

Since January 2025, M23 has seized Goma and Bukavu, the two largest cities in eastern DRC, killing over 7,000 (according to Congo’s PM) and displacing over 700,000 (according to the UN). The UN has accused Rwanda of supplying arms and deploying troops to support the M23.

APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA AND ISRAEL: NATURAL ALLIES

Much of the world shunned apartheid South Africa in the 1970s. However, one country, Israel, found a natural ally in Pretoria’s racially discriminatory government, according to UK journalist Jody McIntyre in this clip.  

McIntyre cites the controversial 1976 state visit of South African Prime Minister Balthazar Johannes ‘BJ’ Vorster (1915-83) to Israel, where he received a red-carpet welcome. Vorster visited the Kfir jet fighter factory, heightening speculation that an arms deal was part of his itinerary to Israel. Jerusalem would benefit from access to vital resources, such as coal, chrome, platinum, titanium, and—significantly for the world’s newest nuclear power at the time—enriched uranium from South Africa.

Continued……. McIntyre quoted Archbishop Desmond Tutu (1931-2021) saying Israel’s apartheid state was worse than South Africa’s. In 2002, at a time when many public figures would dare not say it out loud, Tutu called for ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine by drawing parallels between the suffering of Black people in South Africa and the tragic experience of Jews during the Holocaust.

Whereas apartheid officially came to an end in 1994, Israel’s occupation of and policy of racial superiority in Palestine is now approaching its 77th anniversary. 

In the latest escalation that began on 7 October 2023, Tel Aviv’s military onslaught may have k*lled as many as 186,000, according to the Lancet medical journal.

As of press time, Israel had blocked delivery of humanitarian supplies to Gaza, cut off the electricity supply, and had violated a 19 January ceasefire multiple times when it k*lled at least 400 Palestinians and wounded 562 on 18 March. The Israeli regime launched a massive assault, which attack took place across Gaza, including in Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza, Gaza City in the north, and central areas like Deir el-Balah.

Video credit: @jodymcintyre_ on IG and X / @jody.mcintyre on TikTok

Quote on Vorster: ‘The Unspoken Alliance’: Israel’s Secret Rela­tion­ship with Apartheid South Africa by Sasha Polakow-Suransky (@sasha_p_s on X)

Sources

https://www.nytimes.com/1976/04/18/archives/vorster-visit-to-israel-arouses-criticism.html

https://time.com/archive/6817482/israel-into-africa-via-the-back-door

https://jacobin.com/2024/12/israel-south-africa-apartheid-weapons

https://imeu.org/article/is-israel-an-apartheid-state/1000

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/29/comment

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/over-61-700-palestinians-killed-in-israel-s-genocidal-war-local-authorities-say/3469641

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01169-3/fulltext

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1w0l3q4zd0o

https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001100

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/18/israel-launches-gaza-assault-killing-hundreds-and-shattering-ceasefire