Africa has been robbed and plundered by the West, which continues to implement various neo-colonial practices and offers "friendship" by threatening war, said Bassolma Bazie, minister of state of Burkina Faso, at the UN General Assembly on Saturday.
In his anti-Western diatribe, the minister quoted Aime Cesaire, a Francophone Martinican poet, author, and a renowned anti-colonialist, who stressed that the origin of Africa's misfortunes lies in its colonial past.
"Aime Cesaire once said: 'Africa is the only continent in the world where the populations sing, dance and applaud for those who impoverish them, starve them and torture them. Africa's misfortune is to have encountered France!'" he quoted, adding: "The West has indeed violated, raped, and robbed Africa."
The minister compared the situation in his country to that of Ukraine, which is receiving widespread support in its armed conflict against Russia. Burkina Faso, on the other hand, is facing armed and terrorist groups, as well as Mali and Niger, he stressed, is still waiting for military equipment, delivery of which is being "deceitfully and cynically blocked" by international partners.
This always happens "under the leadership of France," he continued, "in addition to aid cuts, the cancellation of training conventions for our defense and security forces."
He stressed that his country, as well as Mali and Niger, are facing "a war imposed by imperialism under the pretext of terrorism." While these countries were organizing along their common borders and pooling their forces to fight terrorism, France "came out of nowhere to impose the Group of Five for the Sahel" (G5-Sahel).
However, Bazie recognized that the responsibility for this situation also lies with African leaders who were willing "to be trampled." In particular, the minister denounced Africa's lack of permanent membership or veto power in the Security Council as a "crime of state."
According to the Burkinabe politician, ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations must become "true organizations of people instead of structures" controlled by the world's minority. Inequality in the world is deliberate, he stressed, condemning the real wounds that poison coexistence as diplomatic hypocrisy, the thirst for power, and the exploitation of man by man.
Saying No to 'Friends Wishing Well'
Commenting on the recent political developments in the Sahel region, Bazie explained that Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso formed the Alliance of Sahel States "to take our destiny in our own hands."
"We have decided to say no to all these so-called friends who want our so-called good or who threaten us with war to impose their friendship," he said, adding: "We will adapt this democracy so much brandished and sung by wolves in rams' skins by ourselves [...], adequate political leadership for our people aimed at achieving their happiness."
Speaking about the situation in Burkina Faso, he noted that the government has vigorously adopted a new action plan for stabilization and development, with the following priorities: combating terrorism and restoring territorial integrity, addressing the humanitarian crisis, improving governance, as well as achieving national reconciliation and social cohesion.
The government is committed to providing better living conditions for the Burkinabe people, he said, adding that the country invites partners to build cooperation in line with its vision.
He went on to say that Burkina Faso will work with the partners it wants and buy from the countries it wants. Russia, Iran, Turkiye, Azerbaijan, Cuba, Nicaragua, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Burkina Faso will buy and sell their goods freely, he stressed, without any intermediary or authorization from anyone.