Africa and "decolonial ecology"
- Collection Recherches et Regards d’Afrique, Vol. 4., Spécial Nouvel an Janvier 2026, Lomé, Éditions Francophones Universitaires d’Afrique / ISBN : 978-2-493659-12-5 , 4 : 201-220
Résumé
The plundering of African countries' natural resources has been denounced for decades. State sovereignty and the freedom of citizens are democratic principles. If democratic principles were respected, we should not witness the plundering of Africans' natural resources by wealthy nations. Similarly, we should not witness the embezzlement of public funds, the fire sale of natural resources, or the oppression of the people by African political elites, both civilian and military. The democracy advocated at La Baule was, in reality, subservient to interests external to Africa, one manifestation of the West's strategy of controlling the natural resources of sub-Saharan Africa. The failure of democracy in the world requires nuance. It is held hostage by its managers both within states and at the geopolitical level. Our approach consists of analyzing the relationship between the distortion of the democratic ideal and the plundering of Africa's natural resources by major powers competing for control of the continent. This approach raises the question: what do Africans themselves do with their natural resources once in power? Africa's institutional and scientific weaknesses will be analyzed in relation to the plundering of natural resources.
Mots-clés
Africa, democracy, "decolonial ecology," geopolitics, natural resources.