By Ali Rıza Taşdelen
In the presidential elections of the Central African Republic (CAR) on December 27, 2020, the incumbent President Faustin-Archange Touadéra was re-elected in the first round.
Violent clashes took place between the army and the armed militia prior to the elections. For now, the violence initiated by these armed groups has been suppressed by the Government’s Central African Armed Forces (Forces Armées centrafricaines or FACA), which is backed by Russian and Rwandan troops, but violence can re-emerge at any moment.
The clashes began after the CAR Constitutional Court rejected the presidential candidacy of former President François Bozizé, who was overthrown by France in 2013 and is now backed by France against the current government.
France and the United States now support Bozizé against the current government, which they previously overthrew back in 2013. Although it may seem a little controversial, it is the truth. In order to understand what is going on in the Central African Republic today, we have to go back in time. We have to inspect how the imperialist Western powers have plotted coups, dragged countries into chaos, and ended thousands of lives to be lost to advance their interests.
Africa, plundered by the imperial West
When we think of Africa, we first think of raw resource reserves, plundered colonies, coup d’états, ethnic and religious conflicts, massacres, and genocides. The actors responsible for all these horrible atrocities are the colonialist and imperialist countries of the West, aka, Great Britain, France, and Belgium back in the day, and now the USA and France.
Back then, these imperialist countries claimed to have brought “civilization” to Africa. Now, they say they are bringing “democracy and human rights”, in order to hide their aggressive intentions. If the government in charge of a country is insubordinate to the interests of the West, they will be dragged into chaos through groups financed and armed by the West, who then spins a narrative of a potential “genocide” and calls for intervention in order to facilitate “human rights” across their media outlets. They then invade the country with tanks and artillery in order to “liberate” the indigenous people. Then, they “re-establish” and “rebuild” the country, and assign governments that will operate in parallel to their own interests. And if the presidents they have assigned get out of line, they use every way and every means possible to have that head of state overthrown, one way or another. They set up military bases throughout that country to protect these collaborative governments. This is the simple summary of the reason behind all of these coup d’états, conflicts, chaos, and massacres across Africa.
The Asian age in Africa
The people of Africa have embraced a new world since the early 2000s; the Civilization of a Modern World, which is rising from Asia. At the beginning of the 21st century, these Asian powers, led by China, Russia, and Turkey, have stood against the imperialist camp which has been plundering Africa.
As of today, the main trade partner of the African continent is China, leaving behind France back in 2007, and the United States back in 2009. Today, France does not even make it to the top five in the list of trade partners of Africa. In the military partnership list, Russia is in first place, with China in second, the third being the US and the fourth France. Of the total arms imports of the African continent, 35% belongs to Russia and 17% belongs to China. The total share of weapons imported from the US and France is merely 16.5%. And this is without even mentioning the military alliances and bases established by China and Russia in these countries.
Turkey’s relations with Somalia, which date back to 2011, have reached a very significant level in recent years in economic and diplomatic areas as military relations developed. The total trade volume between Turkey and Africa has reached $20.6 billion in 2017, up from $3.6 billion back in 2003. Moreover, the number of Turkish embassies in Africa have increased to 41 in 2018, from only 12 back in 2009 (Anadolu Agency).
The New Asian age has begun in Africa as the Atlantic age comes to an end. This is the real reason behind the aggressive actions of the US and France. Africa is simply slipping out of their hands. The government they put in power in the 2000s by coup d’états and electoral frauds, soon turned its back on its masters.
There is no bloodshed, massacres, sufferings, destructions, and bombings when it comes to relations between African nations and China, Russia, and Turkey. What do we see instead? The equal sharing of all economic, cultural, and political values in all areas of life: a win-win scenario. This helps provide national security against imperialist terror groups, and is why African leaders are shifting towards Asia.
France loses the Central African Republic as well
We can only understand the situation in the Central African Republic within the outlines presented above. France and the United States have also lost the Central African Republic, just as they are losing Algeria, Mali, or Côte d’Ivoire.
I will further explain the Central African relations with China and Russia, the decline of the United States and France in the region, and the coup attempt and chaos policies they have been trying to prevent this decline, as well as the events that are taking place today, in my next article.