Information meeting of the Reunionese Communist Party on the AES

The Alliance of Sahel States : a New Era for Africa

15 July, by Correspondant Témoignages

The Reunionese Communist Party organized this Saturday July 13 in Saint-Denis an information meeting on the Alliance of Sahel States. This moment of exchange made it possible to discuss the lessons for Reunion Island of this new political construction. The AES illustrates a world in full change, with peoples freeing themselves from the influence of former colonial powers and integrating into a new era of international relations driven in particular by the BRICS.

On September 16, 2023, the heads of state of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger signed the Liptako Gourma Charter creating the Alliance of Sahel States. These three states had just announced their withdrawal with immediate effect from ECOWAS. Abdourahamane Tiani for Niger, Assimi Goïta for Mali and Ibrahim Traore for Burkina Faso were the signatories. What they all have in common is that they came to power through a military coup. But this takeover was not rejected by the population. Last week, the AES States decided to go further, towards economic integration. These three countries also denounced the military cooperation agreements with France. The French army must therefore leave these three countries that it has occupied since the colonization of this region of the world by Paris. The AES is hardly mentioned in the media mainly visible in Reunion. However, this is news full of lessons for Reunion Island.

42% of the population is under 14 years old

Ary Yée Chong Tchi Kan, secretary for international affairs of the PCR, presented the Alliance of Sahel States as an illustration of a world in full change. The parenthesis of colonization closes. The leaders of the AES are young who wanted to respond to a deep desire of the population: to change the system. This group of three countries can rely on significant natural resources which can be developed locally rather than being monopolized by Western companies to be exported at low prices.
Manuel Marchal from “Témoignages” presented the historical context. Much of the current territory of these three countries was part of the Songhai Empire until the beginning of the 17th century. French colonization then drew borders which separated peoples. The AES is experiencing significant demographic growth. From 8 million inhabitants each in 1987, there are currently around 25 million in each country. In 2050, Mali and Burkina Faso will each have more than 40 million inhabitants, and Niger nearly 70 million. It will be a French-speaking group of 150 million inhabitants, just to the north of English-speaking Nigeria, populated today by around 230 million inhabitants, and will have more than 410 million in 2050. 42% of the inhabitants of this region have less 14 years old.
It is also a region which is suffering the consequences of the climate crisis which is causing drought and falling agricultural yields.

A world is being built without Western leaders

The system inherited from French colonization kept a large part of the population in poverty. It also favored the development of corruption. The army is then the last possibility of social advancement. It is from this body that the new political leaderships of these countries come.
Today, China has become Africa’s largest trading partner. For imports, the AES countries no longer need the West, they can turn to China or other BRICS members such as India, Russia or Iran. Paris is no longer the “policeman of Africa” where French capitalists could exploit populations and natural wealth as they wish. This era is ending.

A comrade from the CGTR-Santé, former soldier, participated in operations Serval and Barkhane within the French army. This deployment aimed to fight against Al Qaeda and other terrorists who were the consequence of the collapse of Libya in 2011, following a military conflict triggered by Paris. He recalled the presence of a major French military base located right next to a company from the same country exploiting natural resources in Niger. Since the departure of the French army, significant progress has made it possible to push back the territory controlled by the terrorists.

Cyril Séraphin of the PCR Section of Saint-Paul explained that the feeling of injustice was at the origin of his interest in the AES. Injustice due to unbalanced treatment of the news, presenting the leaders of the AES as dictators and the deposed presidents as great democrats. Cyril Séraphin recalled the precedent of Thomas Sankara, who was also a young soldier who wanted the development of his country and who was quickly assassinated after coming to power.

The PCR closest to Pan-Africanism

Mathieu Laude then spoke on the theme of Pan-Africanism. He underlined how the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States is in line with this ideology of liberation.
He also indicated that other countries are likely to join this organization. He mentioned Senegal which elected a new president. Benin could also be a new member, in the event of Kémi Séba’s victory in the next presidential election.
Mathieu Laude welcomed the PCR initiative and indicated that the Réunion Communist Party is, in Réunion, the political organization closest to pan-Africanism.

The various interventions of the participants showed the interest in this current subject which is not covered in the most followed media in Reunion.

The end of the meeting was an opportunity to discuss the PCR action schedule. Next July 20, it will be a question of preparing for “December 20”. Since the declaration of the mayor of Plaine des Palmistes affirming that he was not celebrating the abolition of slavery, the PCR has been campaigning so that this December 20, all stores remain closed. The date of September 24 is another important meeting. It is the day announced by the Caledonian Union for the declaration of sovereignty of Kanaky New Caledonia. The PCR also organized two information meetings on the fight for the country to become independent again.

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