Italy Is Right. France is Practicing Neocolonialism

During the scramble for Africa in the 1880s, there was fierce competition between European countries. With Brexit looming and the European Union scrambling to stay live, there is no appetite for issues like immigration. Countries like Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain are on the verge of economic meltdown and more and the far right opposition parties in these countries are causing governments to look inward. Still, everyday many African migrants make the treacherous journey to Europe using makeshift boats as they seek better economic opportunities. Many of these immigrants enter countries like Italy en route to France.

However, countries like France are not welcoming their fair share even as they accuse Italy of being inhumane in its treatment of African immigrants. So Italy retaliated by accusing France of creating creating conditions unsuitable for economic growth in African countries resulting in mass migration into Europe.

Here are the words of Italy’s Deputy PM Di Maio, leader of the populist Five Star Movement.

“Africans belong in Africa. Not at the bottom of the sea.”

“France has never stopped colonizing tens of African states,” “The EU should sanction France, and all countries like France, that impoverish Africa and make these people leave, because Africans should be in Africa, not at the bottom of the Mediterranean.”

• Italy accused France of France of manipulating the economies of African countries that use the CFA franc as their currency, stifling their development. The CFA is pegged against the  Euro and therefore former colonies central banks can’t set their own interest rates
• The CFA franc is seen as a symbol of French imperialism. Use of the CFA currency was a condition for political independence.
• The CFA currency is printed in France and has been dubbed a “French colonial tax”.
• France require former colonies to store 50% of all foreign exchange reserves with the French treasury the Bank of France. Earning a measly 0.75% interest
• France retains at least some influence over the decision making process by having French person at the board of CFA.

• In 1945 when the currency arrangement was set up it gave French preference to CFA country’s resources creating a no winning situation for African countries.

France has a monopoly on CFA countries raw materials. Macron once called colonialism as a “crime against humanity” during a trip to a former colony, Algeria. The French are very uncomfortable discussing the issue so they choose to either ignore it or pretend it never happened. The right wingers embrace it as a time of greatness in French history.