The recent seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the United States, and the coordinated naval drills of BRICS nations, are not isolated incidents of geopolitical tension. They are potent symbols of a profound transition: the decline of a unipolar world and the birth of a multipolar one. At the heart of this shift is Africa. Not as a passive spectator, but as a collective actor with a defiant, unified voice. The African Union’s condemnation of the action against Venezuela was more than diplomatic rhetoric; it was a foundational statement of principle, rooted in historical colonial memory and a staunch commitment to the sovereignty of nations. Simultaneously, Africa’s participation in BRICS military exercises signals a pragmatic turn toward new forms of collective security and economic partnership.
In this compelling episode of Pan-African Frequency, we dissect these pivotal developments with a panel of distinguished experts. Dr. Rasigan Maharajh, the chief director of the Institute for Economic Research and Innovation at Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa, argues that Africa’s response, while principled, highlights the urgent need for deeper continental unity and economic integration to amplify its global influence.
“What we have seen and what is taking place is a warning to us all, not just what's happening in the southern part of the Americas at the moment. And this warning has to be understood. As a form of unilateralism advancing hyper-imperialism [...] I hope this also brings us a bit on a round loop back to why I was emphasizing African unity is so important,” Maharajh expressed.
Dr. Oscar van Heerden, senior research fellow at the Center of African Diplomacy and Leadership at the University of Johannesburg, frames the U.S. action as a dangerous erosion of the international rules-based order, one that forces nations to seek reliable alternatives.
“The US administration, by virtue of doing what they did in Venezuela, are showing us that there is no international law that needs to be adhered to, that they don't care. [....] the United States of America sees BRICS as a threat because they think that the BRICS formation is anti-America, which it is not. It is America that decided to weaponize the US dollar by wanting to sanction, cajole, force, blackmail countries [...] because people are responding to the weaponization of the dollar. By looking at other alternative means and payment systems, America says they want to undermine us, they want to kill the dollar. They weaponize trade, we diversify, we look at bilateral agreements,” the expert noted.
This episode also features:
Themba Godi, former chair of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Parliament of South Africa
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