adminMuchadura Dube
The country was Turkey, the city being Antalya and the venue was Regnum Carya Golf, Spa Resort and Convention Centre where Heads of States of the most economically powerful nations were gathered primarily to focus issues of migration and the now complex phenomenon of climate change which was later then overtaken by the catastrophic events in the French suburb of Paris.
Africa’s luminary son, President Mugabe of Zimbabwe who is the current African Union chairman delivered an address representing the continent of Africa. With the likes of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,United States’ President Barack Obama, Russian President’ Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister David Cameron and Chinese President XI Jinping being attendance, it can only depict the seriousness of the event.
These Group of 20 account for an entire 80 plus percent of the globe’s economy hence its political and economic mighty has never been in doubt. This is the club that exploits the world’s natural wealth for the benefit of their individual countries without necessarily catering for the needs of the natural resources’ host country.
It is this domineering attitude of this club of developed nations which has haunted, is and will haunt developing nations in their quest for total liberty of their resources. Whilst other continents have at least two or more representatives, Africa has only one representative, South Africa since it has an industrial base which is an envy even for these fully developed nations. That scenario on its own is indicative of the unequal relations which exist between Africa and the rest of the world.
The continent of Africa has a plus one billion population which presents a huge market for the world’s industrialized countries. These rich nations will cherish the current status quo since it will enable them to have a dumping ground which creates wealth for them for their excess poroducts.Therefore it is their interest to ensure African remains a dormant force economically and politically.
Though the former slain leader of Libya, Mamuar Gaddafi was a controversial character, it can be observed that his idea of a United Africa with a combined military strength was always an eyesore for the developed nations for they understood that with that scenario Africa was going to be a difficult case to handle.
Given that Africa’s astounding population is in itself a recipe for massive economic growth, what the continent needs is technology transfer and/or innovation which will enable it to export its goods and services outside the perimeters of its borders. It must be understood that such a scenario will even negate the negative trend of brain drain which will ensure that experts are retained to facilitate and spearhead the much needed take off.
With the obtaining scenario of Africa’s sorry state, the task of enunciating the truth to this club of rich countries vis-à-vis their relationship with Africa could only be done by the revolutionary liberation giant, President Mugabe who fortunately for the downtrodden masses is the current chair of the African Union. The African Union chair, President Mugabe made a passionate plea to these rich countries to at least have conscience by ensuring that resources being currently siphoned out of Africa benefit the indigenous communities as envisioned in the Vision 2063 whose thrust is to ensure resources available in each respective African state benefits first and foremost its people.
President Mugabe was spot on when he called on this club of the rich to help in giving Africa the necessary technology, funding and loans. He urged the G20 leaders to help the continent of Africa to add value to their products and even to expand their capacity. Africa therefore needs the G20 as much as the same rich nations need Africa.
It is only such a mutually beneficial relationship which will enable Africa to experience and encounter the much needed take off. There is therefore a need for a total system overhaul in the way Africa relates and interact with the rich .As President Mugabe noted, gone are the days of exploitative interactions where the poor are robbed in broad daylight of their resources, all in the name of globalization whose principles are exploited by the West for their selfish ends.
The G20 meeting had to focus on the heinous terrorist bloodbath which was perpetrated by terrorists whose disdain for human life is condemned in the strongest terms. Whilst we condemn the horror acts by these murders who at times hide under the camouflage of religion which is in itself a despicable act, the same club of rich nations should have acted in the same manner when African blood was split at the behest of some of these Western nations in Rwanda where millions of innocent people were murdered.
African blood has the same value as any human beings elsewhere. The same script unfolded in the Democratic Republic of Congo some years ago, where the Zimbabwe National Army together with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) allies of Namibia and Angola moved in to avert genocide in that country.
Instead of complementing and aiding in logistics, the West moved in to slap sanctions against Zimbabwe for helping fellow aggrieved African nations. The same publicity and anguish exhibited in the Paris bombings by the international press should also be given when Palestinians are being wantonly killed by the Israelites almost on a daily basis. If the rich club of nations could display such level of impartiality, then the world will be a better place to dwell.
Africa should be eternally grateful to its gallant luminary son, President Mugabe for his unwavering steadfastness to the cause of the African people and all the downtrodden populace of the world. The great statesman spoke on behalf of the continent with gusto and verve which indeed depict the solid and compassionate character which he possesses. Africa is indeed rich with such characters such as President Mugabe.
Muchadura Dube is a Nyanga based farmer and political analyst.
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