US declares colonial dictatorship over Africa

US President Biden and Congressman Gregory Meeks

On 26 April, the US House of Representatives passed the Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa Act. The bill is now being discussed in the US Senate’s Committee on Foreign Relations and if it is passed in the Senate, will be sent to the US president to be signed into law. The Act which was introduced by Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks seeks to punish individuals, businesses and governments which maintain friendly relations with the Russian Federation and refuse to attach themselves to the US/NATO warmongering campaign to ostracise and isolate Russia.

Colonial overlord
The Act which is drafted in the language of a colonial overlord discussing their colonies would not have been out of place at the 1884 Berlin Conference when the European powers divided up Africa before violently seizing various territories on the continent. It states that its aim is to "counter the malign influence and activities of the Russian Federation and its proxies in Africa”. It is clear that for the authors of this document, any activity which interferes with the US project for the enslavement of the African continent is to be considered “malign” and be targeted for US attack. In pursuit of its goals, the Act declares that the US congress should "regularly assess the scale and scope of the Russian Federation’s influence and activities in Africa that undermine United States objectives and interests" and "hold accountable the Russian Federation and African governments and their officials who are complicit in aiding" such influence

and activities. Interestingly, the drafters of the Act do not limit their attention to the African continent. They declare that those who "manipulate African governments and their policies, as well as the public opinions and voting preferences of African populations and diaspora groups, including those in the United States" and those who "invest in, engage, or otherwise control strategic sectors in Africa, such as mining and other forms of natural resource extraction and exploitation, military basing and other security cooperation agreements, and information and communications technology" should also be dealt with.

Racist and colonialist document
It is difficult to see how in the 21st century a more racist and colonialist document could have been produced. It is a statement that Africans on the continent and in the diaspora are incapable of analysing situations and arriving at their own conclusions and are simply the helpless victims of manipulation by others, in this case the “malign” Russians. The drafters of the Act also speak of Africa’s economic resources as though these are the property of the US and need to be protected from poachers.

This racist and colonialist outlook which permeates the malign US relationship with Africa and Africans is way past its sell by date. Africans on the continent and in the diaspora are demanding an end to it. No to US racist and colonialist interference in Africa!