{"id":1437,"date":"2021-07-07T19:02:45","date_gmt":"2021-07-07T19:02:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/peace-int.org\/en\/?p=1437"},"modified":"2025-05-18T23:08:27","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T23:08:27","slug":"francafrique-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/peace-int.org\/en\/francafrique-2\/","title":{"rendered":"French Monetary Imperialism in Africa: 14 African Countries Forced By France To Pay Colonial Tax For The Benefits Of Slavery And Colonization:"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did you know many African countries continue to pay colonial tax to France since their independence till today!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Guinea (Conakry)<\/strong><\/p>\n

When S\u00e9kou Tour\u00e9 of Guinea decided in 1958 to get out of french colonial empire, and opted for the country independence, the french colonial elite in Paris got so furious, and in a historic act of fury the french administration in Guinea destroyed everything in the country which represented what they called the bene\ufb01ts from french colonization.<\/p>\n

Three thousand French left the country, taking all their property and destroying anything that which could not be moved: schools, nurseries, public administration buildings were crumbled; cars, books, medicine, research institute instruments, tractors were crushed and sabotaged; horses, cows in the farms were killed, and food in warehouses were burned or poisoned.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The purpose of this outrageous act was to send a clear message to all other colonies that the consequences for rejecting France would be very high.<\/p>\n

Slowly fear spread trough the African elite, and none after the Guinea events ever found the courage to follow the example of S\u00e9kou Tour\u00e9, whose slogan was \u201dWe prefer freedom in poverty to opulence in slavery.\u201d<\/p>\n

Togo<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sylvanus Olympio, the \ufb01rst president of the Republic of Togo, a tiny country in west Africa, found a middle ground solution with the French.<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t want his country to continue to be a french dominion, therefore he refused to sign the colonisation continuation pact De Gaule proposed, but agree to pay an annual debt to France for the so called bene\ufb01ts Togo got from french colonization.<\/p>\n

It was the only conditions for the French not to destroy the country before leaving. However, the amount estimated by France was so big that the reimbursement of the so called \u201dcolonial debt\u201d was close to 40 % of the country budget in 1963.<\/p>\n

The \ufb01nancial situation of the newly independent Togo was very unstable, so in order to get out of the situation, Olympio decided to get out of the french colonial money FCFA (the franc for french african colonies), and issue the country own currency.<\/p>\n

On January 13, 1963, three days after he started printing his country\u2018s own currency, a squad of illiterate soldiers backed by France killed the \ufb01rst elected president of newly independent Africa. Olympio was killed by an ex French Foreign Legionnaire army sergeant called Etienne Gnassingbe who supposedly received a bounty of $612 from the local French embassy for the hit man job.<\/p>\n

Olympio\u2019s dream was to build an independent and self-su\ufb03cient and self-reliant country. But the French didn\u2019t like the idea.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mali<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"https:\/\/www.stopblablacam.com\/economy-and-politics\/0608-1965-jacques-chirac-did-say-this-about-africa\"<\/a>

https:\/\/www.stopblablacam.com\/economy-and-politics\/0608-1965-jacques-chirac-did-say-this-about-africa<\/p><\/div>\n

On June 30, 1962, Modiba Keita , the \ufb01rst president of the Republic of Mali, decided to withdraw from the french colonial currency FCFA which was imposed on 12 newly independent African countries. For the Malian president, who was leaning more to a socialist economy, it was clear that colonisation continuation pact with France was a trap, a burden for the country\u2018s development.<\/p>\n

On November 19, 1968, like, Olympio, Keita will be the victim of a coup carried out by another ex French Foreign legionnaire, the Lieutenant Moussa Traor\u00e9.<\/p>\n

In fact during that turbulent period of African \ufb01ghting to liberate themselves from European colonization, France would repeatedly use many ex Foreign legionnaires to carry out coups against elected presidents:<\/p>\n

\u2013 On January 1st, 1966, Jean-B\u00e9del Bokassa, an ex french foreign legionnaire, carried a coup against David Dacko, the \ufb01rst President of the Central African Republic.<\/p>\n

\u2013 On January 3, 1966, Maurice Yam\u00e9ogo, the \ufb01rst President of the Republic of Upper Volta, now called Burkina Faso, was victim of a coup carried by Aboubacar Sangoul\u00e9 Lamizana, an ex French legionnaire who fought with french troops in Indonesia and Algeria against these countries independence.<\/p>\n

\u2013 on 26 October 1972, Mathieu K\u00e9r\u00e9kou who was a security guard to President Hubert Maga, the \ufb01rst President of the Republic of Benin, carried a coup against the president, after he attended French military schools from 1968 to 1970.<\/p>\n

In fact, during the last 50 years, a total of 67 coups happened in 26 countries in Africa, 16 of those countries are french ex-colonies, which means 61 % of the coups happened in Francophone Africa.<\/p>\n

Table 1. Number of\u00a0Coups in Africa<\/a>\u00a0by country<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ex French colonies\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\nOther African countries<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Country\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\nNumber of coup<\/strong><\/td>\nCountry<\/strong><\/td>\nnumber of coup<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Togo<\/td>\n1<\/td>\nEgypte<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tunisia<\/td>\n1<\/td>\nLibye<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cote d\u2019Ivoire<\/td>\n1<\/td>\nEquatorial Guinea<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Madagascar<\/td>\n1<\/td>\nGuinea Bissau<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rwanda<\/td>\n1<\/td>\nLiberia<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Algeria<\/td>\n2<\/td>\nNigeria<\/td>\n3<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Congo \u2013 RDC<\/td>\n2<\/td>\nEthiopia<\/td>\n3<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mali<\/td>\n2<\/td>\nOuganda<\/td>\n4<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Guinea Conakry<\/td>\n2<\/td>\nSoudan<\/td>\n5<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SUB-TOTAL 1<\/strong><\/td>\n13<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Congo<\/td>\n3<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tchad<\/td>\n3<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Burundi<\/td>\n4<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Central Africa<\/td>\n4<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Niger<\/td>\n4<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mauritania<\/td>\n4<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Burkina Faso<\/td>\n5<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Comores<\/td>\n5<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SUB<\/strong>-TOTAL 2<\/td>\n32<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TOTAL (1 + 2)<\/strong><\/td>\n45<\/strong><\/td>\nTOTAL<\/strong><\/td>\n22<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

As these numbers demonstrate, France is quite desperate but active to keep a strong hold on his colonies what ever the cost, no matter what.<\/p>\n

In March 2008, former French President Jacques Chirac said: \u201cWithout Africa, France will slide down into the rank of a third [world] power\u201d. Chirac\u2019s predecessor Fran\u00e7ois Mitterrand already prophesied in 1957 that: \u201dWithout Africa, France will have no history in the 21st century\u201d.<\/p>\n

At this very moment I\u2019m writing this article, 14 african countries are obliged by France, through a colonial pact, to put 65 %[1]<\/a> of their foreign reserve into France central bank under French minister of Finance control. Until now, 2021, Togo and about 13 other african countries still have to pay colonial debt to France. African leaders who refuse are killed or victims of coups. Those who obey are supported and rewarded by France with lavish lifestyle while their people endure extreme poverty, and desperation.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s such an evil system even denounced by the European Union, but France is not ready to move from that colonial system which puts about 500 billions dollars from Africa to its treasury year in year out.<\/p>\n

We often accuse African leaders of corruption and serving western nations\u2018 interests instead, but there is a clear explanation for that behaviour. They behave so because they are afraid to be killed or become victim of a coup. They want a powerful nation to back them in case of aggression or trouble. But, contrary to a friendly nation protection, the western protection is often o\ufb00ered in exchange of these leaders renouncing to serve their own people or nations\u2019 interests. African leaders would work in the interest of their people if they were not constantly stalked and bullied by colonial countries.<\/p>\n

In 1958, scared about the consequence of choosing independence from France, Leopold S\u00e9dar Senghor declared: \u201cThe choice of the Senegalese people is independence; they want it to take place only in friendship with France, not in dispute.\u201d From then on France accepted only an \u201dindependence on paper\u201d for his colonies, but signed binding \u201dCooperation Accords\u201d, detailing the nature of their relations with France, in particular ties to France colonial currency (the Franc), France educational system, military and commercial preferences.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Below are the 11 main components of the Colonisation continuation pact since 1950s:<\/p>\n

#1. Colonial Debt for the bene\ufb01ts of France colonization<\/strong><\/p>\n

The newly \u201dindependent\u201d countries should pay for the infrastructure built by France in the country during colonization.<\/p>\n

I still have to \ufb01nd out the complete details about the amounts, the evaluation of the colonial bene\ufb01ts and the terms of payment imposed on the African countries, but we are working on that (help us with info).<\/p>\n

#2. Automatic con\ufb01scation of national reserves<\/strong><\/p>\n

The African countries should deposit their national monetary reserves into France Central bank.<\/p>\n

France has been holding the national reserves of fourteen african countries since 1961: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.<\/p>\n

\u201dThe monetary policy governing such a diverse aggregation of countries is uncomplicated because it is, in fact, operated by the French Treasury, without reference to the central \ufb01scal authorities of any of the WAEMU or the CEMAC. Under the terms of the agreement which set up these banks and the CFA the Central Bank of each African country is obliged to keep at least 65% of its foreign exchange reserves in an \u201coperations account\u201d held at the French Treasury, as well as another 20% to cover \ufb01nancial liabilities.<\/p>\n

The CFA central banks also impose a cap on credit extended to each member country equivalent to 20% of that country\u2019s public revenue in the preceding year. Even though the BEAC and the BCEAO have an overdraft facility with the French Treasury, the drawdowns on those overdraft facilities are subject to the consent of the French Treasury. The \ufb01nal say is that of the French Treasury which has invested the foreign reserves of the African countries in its own name on the Paris Bourse.<\/p>\n

In short, more than 80% of the foreign reserves of these African countries are deposited in the \u201coperations accounts\u201d controlled by the French Treasury. The two CFA banks are African in name, but have no monetary policies of their own. The countries themselves do not know, nor are they told, how much of the pool of foreign reserves held by the French Treasury belongs to them as a group or individually.<\/p>\n

The earnings of the investment of these funds in the French Treasury pool are supposed to be added to the pool but no accounting is given to either the banks or the countries of the details of any such changes. The limited group of high o\ufb03cials in the French Treasury who have knowledge of the amounts in the \u201coperations accounts\u201d, where these funds are invested; whether there is a pro\ufb01t on these investments; are prohibited from disclosing any of this information to the CFA banks or the central banks of the African states .\u201d Wrote Dr. Gary K. Busch. It\u2019s now estimated that France is holding close to 500 billions African countries money in its treasury, and would do anything to \ufb01ght anyone who want to shed a light on this dark side of the old empire.The African countries don\u2019t have access to that money.<\/p>\n

France allows them to access only 15% of the money in any given year. If they need more than that, they have to borrow the extra money from their own 65 % from the French Treasury at commercial rates.<\/p>\n

To make things more tragic, France impose a cap on the amount of money the countries could borrow from the reserve. The cap is \ufb01xed at 20% of their public revenue in the preceding year. If the countries need to borrow more than 20% of their own money, France has a veto.<\/p>\n

Former French President Jacques Chirac recently spoke about the African nations money in France banks. Here is a video (www.youtube.com\/embed\/OzPITL1WLY0) of him speaking about the french exploitation scheme. He is speaking in French, but here is a short excerpt transcript: \u201dWe have to be honest, and acknowledge that a big part of the money in our banks come precisely from the exploitation of the African continent.\u201d<\/p>\n

#3. Right of \ufb01rst refusal on any raw or natural resource discovered in the country<\/strong><\/p>\n

France has the \ufb01rst right to buy any natural resources found in the land of its ex-colonies. It\u2019s only aher France would say, \u201dI\u2019m not interested\u201d, that the African countries are allowed to seek other partners.<\/p>\n

#4. Priority to French interests and companies in public procurement and public biding<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the award of government contracts, French companies must be considered \ufb01rst, and only after that these countries could look elsewhere. It doesn\u2019t matter if the African countries can obtain better value for money elsewhere. As consequence, in many of the french ex-colonies, all the majors economical assets of the countries are in the hands of french expatriates. In C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, for example, french companies own and control all the major utilities \u2013 water, electricity, telephone, transport, ports and major banks. The same in commerce, construction, and agriculture. In the end, as I\u2019ve written in a previous article, Africans now Live On A Continent Owned by Europeans!.<\/p>\n

#5. Exclusive right to supply military equipment and Train the country<\/strong>\u2018s military o\ufb03cers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Through a sophisticated scheme of scholarships, grants, and \u201dDefense Agreements\u201d attached to the Colonial Pact, the africans should send their senior military o\ufb03cers for training in France or French run-training facilities. The situation on the continent now is that France has trained hundreds, even thousands of traitors and nourish them. They are dormant when they are not needed, and activated when needed for a coup or any other purpose!<\/p>\n

#6. Right for France to pre-deploy troops and intervene military in the country to defend its interests<\/strong><\/p>\n

Under something called \u201dDefence Agreements\u201d attached to the Colonial Pact, France had the legal right to intervene militarily in the African countries, and also to station troops permanently in bases and military facilities in those countries, run entirely by the French.<\/p>\n

\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/europe\/comments\/c8aevp\/france_military_presence_in_africa\/\"<\/a>

https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/europe\/comments\/c8aevp\/france_military_presence_in_africa\/<\/p><\/div>\n