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The Chocolate Revolution

West Africa is undergoing a political and economic revolution led by three countries: Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. The underlying conflict is over neo-colonialism, the condition where European colonizers (mainly France in this case) gave countries “independence” in name only, while continuing to generate billions of dollars each year extracting raw materials and keeping the Africans poor and without economic skills.

The nearby countries of Ivory Coast and Ghana are also being inspired to join the revolution. They produce 70% of the cocoa beans which are sent to Europe to make that famously good Belgian chocolate and Swiss chocolate. For decades, the farmers were paid very low wages, and the beans were processed in Europe. By the time any chocolate re-entered Africa, it was too expensive for most of the people to buy.

But now these countries have cut off all bean exports and are demanding that processing be done in Africa to benefit African workers and to develop their skills. Europe is in a tizzy over this, because their $130 billion chocolate business has just been wiped out. And for the first time, Africans who actually harvest the beans have been able to taste chocolate for the first time.

This Chocolate Revolution stands out at the forefront of the anti-colonial movement that is now gaining momentum, centering in West Africa. They are getting more than just a taste of chocolate. It is the taste of true freedom and economic independence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLizlwW3IGo

This “taste” will become a full meal once they are able to create their own currencies, instead of using the CFA franc (Colonies Françaises d'Afrique), invented by France in 1945. Not only is it printed in France, but France also demands that these countries hold 50% of their reserves in France. The truth is that no country really has sovereignty until it has financial sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Burkina Faso has now developed its own gold refineries and has shut down gold ore exports that used to be processed in Switzerland. Mali has cut off uranium ore to France. Niger has cut off the lithium supply. Europe, especially France, is on the warpath. There have been at least 22 failed assassination attempts on the life of President Traore of Burkina Faso.

The West pretends to promote Democracy in Africa, but in fact, it supports its dictators who are “presidents for life.” Such presidents are all subservient to European masters, who chose them specifically because they were corrupt and would accept bribes (called “foreign aid”).

I am old enough to remember how the West held up the example of “corrupt African dictators” as evidence that African countries were better off as European colonies! I wish I had known then that European governments would never allow independent-minded politicians to hold office in their “former” colonies. I am a bit older and better informed now in my old age, and I want to pass that along to my readers.