Africa a 'Tasty Morsel': New Colonialism is Developing, Director of Institute of Africa Says

"The richest in natural resources, in nature, in animal species, there are 10,000 different peoples and nationalities in Africa. It is such a tasty morsel," she stated.

"Now the new colonialism, you know, it takes on some amazing forms in general. We are no longer talking about the collective West," the expert stated. "We are talking about one country that dictates conditions, including to its former allies, the same Europeans, who also have to line up and salute one country. Europe is losing its subjectivity. And this model of colonialism, it extends to the whole world. There is one country that will manage everything. And there are all other countries that have a certain role to play."

"Someone has a more worthy role, someone less worthy. So, we are with Africa, we are in the same group. We are resource providers, that's it. We still have, in general, a strong technological lag, conservation, let's say. We have 30% of the world's resources, Africa has 30%. 'Well, come on, do it. [...] You [Russia, Africa] must provide the conditions for our [developed countries] comfortable existence.' This is the slogan of the new colonialism, and it is related to one country. The concentration is very high and the imbalance is very large," Abramova stressed.

"There are more than 60 US military presence points in Africa. One base is in Djibouti, but there are points there [...]. What are they doing there at these points? According to open data alone, there are 49 US biolabs in Africa. So, multiply by at least 10," Abramova stressed.

"Experts have calculated that, firstly, a) the transition to green energy costs crazy money, b) it is a deception that it is cleaner," she noted. "Now they don't know what to do with these batteries. They don't decompose, where should I bury them? The extraction of these resources, which are necessary for a green transition, is 10 times more environmentally efficient than the use of nuclear energy, gas, etc. 80% of the projects that the West implements in Africa are green energy projects."

"And this is due to the great confrontation between one big, golden billion [developed countries] and all other humanity. [...] When the economic power moves from the golden billion to the south and east, but the instrumental part, the institutional, military and technological part is still in the hands of this golden billion, we need to look for ways, [...] no one has canceled the dollar yet, despite the fact that it has been greatly shaken, the vast majority of global trade transactions are still conducted through the dollar, countries are looking for some alternative, and they are considering various opportunities, primarily BRICS," the expert outlined.

"And I think that Africans really see this as some kind of alternative to solve their problems. If the projects that are currently being implemented within the framework of BRICS are really launched, I think that this is a very good opportunity for Africans to solve their problems together with other countries within the framework of the integration association," she noted.

"First of all, of course, it concerns trade, it also concerns financial support for economic development, because in conditions when the West dictates, constantly announces sanctions, there are very big difficulties for foreign economic relations and African countries that are interested in maintaining economic ties, of course, with China," she emphasized. And with the Russian Federation, India, and Brazil, of course, they are interested in BRICS offering some new mechanisms to get out of this situation, primarily in the anti-sanctions fight."