Latest news with #neocolonialism
Russia Today
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Africa's chains have changed but slavery remains – Lumumba's son
Western colonialism in Africa never ended – it simply changed its form, Roland Lumumba has told RT. In an exclusive interview ahead of International Africa Day, the son of the Congolese independence hero and first prime minister, Patrice Lumumba, said that while flags and borders may have changed, Africa remains under Western domination through debt, economic exploitation, and corrupt leadership that serves foreign masters over the people. Lumumba believes that Africa's struggle for independence is far from over. 'The colonial rulers are gone, but their strategy of division remains,' he said, adding that the neocolonialists of today are not concerned with Africa's needs, but are 'attracted by Africa's riches.' 'They left through the front door, only to slip back in through the windows of economic exploitation and political interference.' He pointed to the Western-backed conflicts that still rage in resource-rich regions like the Congo, where foreign interests profit from chaos. 'Today, they don't need armies. They use debt, sanctions, and banks. The IMF, the World Bank – these are the tools of modern colonialism,' he said. 'Our resources are taken, and in return, we get loans on impossible terms. The more we pay, the greater the debt. The yoke of colonialism has never been lifted; it has only been repainted.' Lumumba placed some of the blame on the African elites who 'remain fascinated by the West for their own gain' and 'sell Africa for a penny just to send their children to Harvard.' He argued that true independence can only come through good governance, regional unity, and cooperation with nations that respect African sovereignty. 'Africa must be led by its own sons and daughters – not by puppets of foreign powers,' he said. 'We need leaders who protect, not sell. Who build, not steal.' Lumumba hailed cooperation with Russia and the BRICS group of countries as a chance to escape Western control. 'The BRICS represents an opportunity. It's not a military bloc. It's a space where Africa has a voice, where we are respected as equal partners,' he said, adding that BRICS countries view Africa 'not as a place of plunder, but as a partner for progress.' Lumumba advised Africa to 'unite with those who come to build with us, not oppress us,' to achieve true independence.
Russia Today
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Africa's chains have changed, but slavery remains – Lumumba's son
Western colonialism in Africa never ended – it simply changed its form, Roland Lumumba has told RT. In an exclusive interview ahead of International Africa Day, the son of the Congolese independence hero and first prime minister, Patrice Lumumba, said that while flags and borders may have changed, Africa remains under Western domination through debt, economic exploitation, and corrupt leadership that serves foreign masters over the people. Lumumba believes that Africa's struggle for independence is far from over. 'The colonial rulers are gone, but their strategy of division remains,' he said, adding that the neocolonialists of today are not concerned with Africa's needs, but are 'attracted by Africa's riches.' 'They left through the front door, only to slip back in through the windows of economic exploitation and political interference.' He pointed to the Western-backed conflicts that still rage in resource-rich regions like the Congo, where foreign interests profit from chaos. 'Today, they don't need armies. They use debt, sanctions, and banks. The IMF, the World Bank – these are the tools of modern colonialism,' he said. 'Our resources are taken, and in return, we get loans on impossible terms. The more we pay, the greater the debt. The yoke of colonialism has never been lifted; it has only been repainted.' Lumumba placed some of the blame on the African elites who 'remain fascinated by the West for their own gain' and 'sell Africa for a penny just to send their children to Harvard.' He argued that true independence can only come through good governance, regional unity, and cooperation with nations that respect African sovereignty. 'Africa must be led by its own sons and daughters – not by puppets of foreign powers,' he said. 'We need leaders who protect, not sell. Who build, not steal.' Lumumba hailed cooperation with Russia and the BRICS group of countries as a chance to escape Western control. 'The BRICS represents an opportunity. It's not a military bloc. It's a space where Africa has a voice, where we are respected as equal partners,' he said, adding that BRICS countries view Africa 'not as a place of plunder, but as a partner for progress.' Lumumba advised Africa to 'unite with those who come to build with us, not oppress us,' to achieve true independence.
Russia Today
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Nasser's grandson warns of US-led neocolonialism
The US has evolved from a former colony into a leading neocolonial power, Gamal Abdel Nasser Jr. has told RT. In an exclusive interview ahead of International Africa Day, the grandson and namesake of Egypt's second president and leader of the 1952 Revolution warned that today's empires no longer rely on direct conflicts, but dominate through international institutions, sanctions, and economic control. According to Nasser, the legacy of anti-colonial resistance must be revived in the face of modern Western domination, which disguises itself under terms like 'progress', 'human rights', and 'globalization'. 'My grandfather shattered the myth that the West's authority was absolute,' he said, recalling how the 1956 nationalization of the Suez Canal was not just about infrastructure, but about 'reclaiming national dignity' and challenging imperial power. 'He broke the mental monopoly that had long told our people they cannot resist… cannot rule their own destiny.' He went on to say that 'a new form of dominance' has returned through media, schools, and international institutions that dictate values and erase cultural heritage. He argued that today's Western 'globalist elites' have replaced the colonial powers by telling nations how to live, what to believe, and trying to 'rewrite culture, biology, and morality.' He stressed that the US – once a colony – has now inherited the role of imperial enforcer, particularly in the Middle East and Africa. Nasser accused Washington of using international policy, sanctions, and military operations to intimidate or replace those who have power to suit its own needs. He went on to say that every recent US campaign in the region has been linked to natural resources, including in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, and Gaza, which US President Donald Trump recently suggested turning into a Middle Eastern Riviera under Washington's control. According to Nasser, these are all examples of resource-driven agendas masked as humanitarian intervention. 'The notion that America could just own a sovereign territory further adds to the suspicion that there is a strong neocolonial tendency on the part of the US and its old colonial allies,' Nasser said, adding that this new Western 'tyranny... will one day collapse.' 'The revolutionary spirit must rise again… A new generation is awakening, proud of their roots, unafraid to speak, and unafraid to think freely. The monopoly of minds, like the colonialism before it, will surely fall. And when it does, the world will remember that freedom begins with the courage to say no,' he stated.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
This is the beginning of the end of international aid. What will the new world look like?
In recent months, international aid has been subject to the"shock and awe" of dramatic cuts by the largest donor in the world, the United States, as well as many European countries. But this reduction – recent projections suggest a $40 billion cut is expected in 2025 – is more than just a drop in funds. It increasingly looks like an assault on the norms and values – like solidarity and multilateral cooperation – that have been at the core of the Western liberal internationalist system since the Second World War. This attack has not happened overnight. In fact, it's been a long-time coming. Criticisms of aid stretch back several decades and are not unique to the US. Free marketeers have long taken issue with a model of economic development reliant on benevolent state intervention, while those leaning to the left have expressed frustrations with the neocolonial aspirations of development that seeks influence over formerly dependent colonies. The sector has trumpeted the effectiveness of aid to respond to criticisms that it doesn't deliver results, but has not robustly moved forward the true devolution of power needed to achieve real impact. The aid sector has talked about global institutional reform but not addressed real imbalances of decision-making and representation between countries. This glacial pace of change has frustrated both aid providers and recipients alike. Before Donald Trump 's executive order suspending aid and dismantling the US Agency for International Development (USAID), aid cuts had already been announced in several countries including Germany, France and the Netherlands. The UK has also recently cut its aid budget in order to grow its military spending. While global aid budgets grew to reach a notional peak of $223 billion (£166bn) in 2023, the amount of Official Development Assistance (ODA) spent beyond national borders has actually been falling in recent years, with more and more aid spent by major donors helping refugees inside their own countries, incentivising exports and external investment and reducing climate emissions. The reality is that foreign aid hit both peak legitimacy and peak volume prior to this Trump-induced upheaval. And now the clock is ticking to define what this new 'post-aid' paradigm should look like. In a series of meetings hosted by the think tank ODI Global, several government donors underwriting aid have been reflecting on how to manage short term political and fiscal pressures, while identifying a possible long-term vision for the next iteration of development cooperation and their role in it. But beyond these immediate challenges, officials recognise an opportunity to exploit this moment of disruption to redesign a global development cooperation system fit for the realities of a multipolar world, as well as new development challenges – from increased humanitarian crises to climate change. Several voices from the Global South have also expressed considerable enthusiasm for a fundamental rethink, perhaps even more so than officials from donor countries horrified by the collateral damage of the sudden, sharp withdrawal of funding. So what should come next? Our discussions highlighted the need for a sound rationale for the modern-day purpose of public spending for development. Our research finds that narratives are most likely to succeed if they link to core national interests, cross-border challenges and international solidarity. New, compelling narratives for public spending on development can help taxpayers understand why such expenditure is important, which in turn can grow broader based political leadership that can champion such investment. Our first meeting detailed three plausible policy rationales: narrowing the focus of aid on the most vulnerable in fragile and humanitarian contexts; inviting all countries, rich or poor, to collectively tackle shared global challenges; and transforming the structural drivers of inequality by changing policies on trade and debt that disadvantage the Global South. To put these ideas into action we will need to change the way aid institutions function. For example, Western NGOs working internationally will need to transition away from delivering bags of rice and tents and being contracted to provide services, towards building progressive movements and actively trying to influence the policies of their own governments. Donor governments may spend less on big aid budgets, but focus more on other ways to create change, such as sharing intellectual property and changing their policies on migration or fossil fuel production. It may be time to retire the traditional concept of rich countries giving money directly to poor countries altogether, in favour of pooling funding through institutions, like the United Nations, designed to address collective challenges – though such international institutions will need to be revitalised and streamlined. In 1969, the Pearson Commission, named after Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, was formed to recommend "a new basis for international cooperation" and ultimately led to an acceptance among donor countries to spend 0.7 per cent of their GDP on aid, creating the international aid architecture we know today. We have reached a similar turning point and require similarly robust thinking about a new paradigm for international cooperation in the 21st century. A modern-day independent commission of high-level experts could help to think through the strategic and operational choices that need to urgently be made.
The Guardian
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
UK urged not to exploit poor countries in rush for critical minerals
The risk of neocolonial exploitation in the global rush for critical minerals must be addressed by the government as it formulates its official supply chain strategy, say civil society campaigners. They have said the scrabble for access is being greenwashed as wealthier economies around the world attempt to line up a host of minerals that are essential to the manufacture of hi-tech products, including cobalt, lithium and nickel. While the importance of such minerals to the green transition is often touted, with many crucial to the manufacture of turbines, solar panels and other low carbon energy sources, campaigners point out that much of the demand comes from the arms and consumer tech industries. 'To have a chance at success, the green transition cannot be built on the exploitation of poorer countries by unaccountable corporations,' said Cleodie Rickard, the policy manager at Global Justice Now. 'That's why the UK government must seize the opportunity to set out a new approach in its upcoming critical minerals strategy. That starts with delineating which minerals are really critical for what end, and prioritising those needed for public goods of a green future – not the likes of arms companies' profits.' By 2040, the world is expected to need four times as many critical minerals as it does today, and while the US deal with Ukraine for access to its mineral wealth has hit the headlines, deals have also been struck more quietly around the world, away from public attention. The UK government has already signed non-binding agreements with Saudi Arabia, Australia, Kazakhstan and Zambia in an effort to corner their mineral resources, and is this year poised to publish a 10-year critical minerals strategy to support the 'industries of tomorrow'. But in a joint briefing released on Thursday, 17 organisations, including the Trade Justice Movement, Global Justice Now, Corporate Justice Coalition and Friends of the Earth say that without safeguards, the UK and other powerful nations risk perpetuating a system of neocolonial exploitation that 'sacrifices justice for the sake of convenience'. The increased levels of mining needed to extract minerals risks disrupting ecosystems and creating water scarcity, as well as workers' rights abuses, violation of Indigenous rights and occupational safety and health issues. The new strategy, they say, must clearly differentiate between minerals needed for the energy transition, and commit to limiting extraction and the principles of the circular economy. It must also ensure that bilateral agreements with producer countries respect core UN and International Labour Organization human rights and labour rights conventions, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the Paris agreement on climate change. Tom Wills, the director of the Trade Justice Movement, said: 'The UK's approach to securing critical minerals must not repeat the mistakes of the past, where the drive for resource extraction left behind a trail of environmental degradation and human suffering. 'The UK has a responsibility to lead a sustainable and fair global transition to clean energy which prioritises both environmental protection and human rights. We cannot afford to perpetuate a system that sacrifices justice for the sake of convenience.' The Department for Business and Trade, which is responsible for the UK's critical minerals strategy, has been contacted for comment.
