What’s behind the wave of coups in Africa? | Start Here
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2023
- Six countries in West and Central Africa have had coups in the last few years, with Gabon and Niger the most recent. Is there a pattern emerging? And where do France and Russia fit in? #AJStartHere with Sandra Gathmann explains.
00:50 - A wave of coups-where are they happening?
01:30 - What happened in Gabon?
01:55 - The power struggle in Niger
02:30 - What are the common coup themes?
02:35 - Governments not delivering
03:15 - The security problem
04:20 - Anti-French sentiment is growing in the region
06:00 - What role has France played in the Sahel?
07:40 - Why Russia is gaining influence
08:15 - Where does the Wagner group fit in?
This episode features:
Dino Mahtani, Independent Analyst on African Affairs
Martin Ewi, Senior Researcher, Institute for Security Studies |Pretoria
Ibrahim Yahaya Ibrahim, Senior Sahel Analyst, International Crisis Group
Ovigwe Eguegu, Policy Analyst, Development Reimagined
Adama Gaye, Political Analyst
Michael Amoah, Visiting Senior Fellow, London School of Economics
Check out our other Start Here episodes bit.ly/3o0BEIW
Subscribe to our channel bit.ly/AJSubscribe
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Find us on Facebook / aljazeera
Check our website: www.aljazeera.com/
#Niger #Gabon #Mali #BurkinaFaso #Guinea #Chad #NigerCoup #GabonCoup #France #Russia #FrenchTroopsInNiger #AbasLaFrance #Liberte #NeoColonialism #ViveLeNiger #ViveLeGabon #AbasLesImperialistes #LiberezLaAfrique #FrancophoneSpring #Wagner #WagnerGroup
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Rumble in the Jungle Bongo.
Liberté, égalité, fraternité for oppressed Africans.
Vietnam and the Quiet American déjà vu. Parlez-vous francais Bwana?
You failed to mention the CFA franc
What about the coup of the current prince of Qatar 🇶🇦 on his father and his father on his grandfather 😂
Qatar 🇶🇦 is the most hypocritical country in the world. Shame on you
IT IS NOT “an idea that France treats Africans unequally”.
IT IS FACT
FRANCE HAS BEEN GETTING URANIUM FOR 0.80cents per kilogram when it’s Market price IS $200 per kilogram.
THIS IS HOW FRANCE TREATS AFRICAN COUNTRIES.
IT IS HORRIFIC!!
Spot on but is also the puppet leaders and corruption politicians
Idk why this hasn’t been mentioned more in the media. There’s a huge paper written back in 2010 showing France (AREVA) paid about $3.4m but mined about $430m in uranium. It’s been going on for decades.
… And Wagner is doing exactly the same thing.
0.80 cents per what? Is it per kilo?
@@monkeeseemonkeedoo3745
Yes.
Per kilogram
Per Kilo! Plus they have 1st refusal over every contract, every mineral resource plus 50% of their Treasury has to be stored in France!
You can fool some people all the time, you can fool all people for some time, but you can't fool all people all the time.
Nailed it!
Russia is quite good in fooling people, look at the Russians, they think they are free and quite rich, which is a complete lie
I get why they wanted France out, but seeing people waiving Russian flags is so naive. The Ruskies want the same resources France did.
The US is too good of an ally of France so they see Russia is the best replacement @@TomCruz54321
It seems you can fool Africans to think, despite literally ALL evidence to the contrary, that Russia, CHina, and their own internal corrupt politicians and military will help them. Sounds reasonable and sane...
Obviously the people of Africa is seeing other countries develop and looking at their own conditions! They are tired of being taken advantage of! You don’t need a degree to understand
They are still being taken advantage of but by new countries (Russia, China) and new people.
@@polishnorwegianandspanish9145what has the west done for Africa?
@@singduong5513
Your corrupt Governmets are responsible.
Its all over Africa,from the bottom to the top.
I would suggest ministers from the west,,who are Africans from orgines.
And some nasty black journalist from the west.
The should be able to stop corruption in Africa.
Well said! Africa is sick and tired and all colonizers that have caused destabilization needs to go France kicked out first and others to follow as they continue to cleanup Africa from those that truly aren't there to help Africa... They just want to take the resources.
@@singduong5513looting and looting and looting
The youth are realizing that their countries are rich in resources. Yet the citizens are poor. Makes ZERO sense. They are tired of it. Those countries should be thriving economically.
just sitting on resources doesn't make you rich.
@@handle-changed it should
@@darnellrobeson4761It’s only a resource if you know how to use it. To the ordinary African it’s just dirt. Wealth happens when you have the knowledge and technical ability to turn dirt into something useful.
@@jwt1035 thats very tru. However not every African is ordinary or average. There are educated and resourceful Africans. Thats why they keep having these coups to remove the ones in power with that old thinking.
There was an Arab spring, this is the African Summer. Still waiting on Asia fall, and European winter.
No, we live before a global fall, and by the end of the century it will be a full on winter. There will be no prosperity for Arabs or Africans at all, they will never have cheap food or water, and so, industrialization will falter and then revert in short order. Most will be in full on deindustrialization by the end of the . Europe will get dragged down by migration until it turns full on fascist. South America and Asia will continue to tread water and slowly climb in the case of specific metropoles. But mostly the old world will burn, as humanity will come to terms with the reality of cultures and people being unequal and never having equal outcomes.
positive thoughts contribute to positive outcome they say, quantum physics discovery.@@llamaboss1434
@@llamaboss1434 Or western nations will have their flow of trillions of dollars of natural resources and cheap labor from the rest of the world cut off. The new BRICS economic alliance will bolster the currencies of its members while de-dollarizing the modern world removing colonial nations as the stand alone world power. With this power gone, individuals of European colonial descent will lose their priveldge and have to adjust to a world that isn't centered around them
Very interesting
😂last time I checked, Arab spring didn’t bring anything to the people.
Al Jazeera: *Gabon* may have experienced a coup, but don't mistake it for "one of the poorest countries" of the world because of that; it is an *upper-middle-income nation! Get your facts straight! 🙂
A third of the people live in abject poverty. That wealth is held by cronies of the regime and France.
@banpotandblm As of 2021- GDP= 20.22 billion USD
"The country is the fifth largest oil producing nation in Africa, which has helped drive its strong growth in the later 20th century. The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP and 80% of exports."
The only "bananas" around here are making up certain brain cells. More liked mushy brains or mashed potatoes drowning in milk.
Gabon average salary is over 500$ a month.
Similar to Russia.
Now with the coup it will probably get worse as they will kick out the french companies and cause mass unemployment.
@@MrRedsjack
Your fortune-telling about the "future" is immaterial to the fact contained in the OP.
@banpotandblm
You've gone bananas.
The idea that France is operating in the public interest is more than a bit simplistic.
the idea that Russia is operating in the interest of the African people is absurd
@@RainerMichellego educate yourself before spouting out garbage
The only interest french parasite has is to keep it's colonies despicably poor while they milk dry the resources of the host body/countries.
@@RainerMichelleThe people of Africa will decide for themselves who to deal with: with the West, which takes 90% of the profits and leaves 10% for Africa, or with Russia, which takes 10% of the profits and leaves 90% for Africa.
Nobody is framing it that way. African countries want to be free to trade with whoever they want and with fair trade deals. If Russia is offering better trade terms than the West, then why wouldnt you want to trade with them? The people who keep framing this is as Africa have to choose their oppressor's, are the ones who are making absurd statements. @@RainerMichelle
I find it interesting when they report that exports generate revenue for Niger's governments, and France provides aide in the region, omitting key factors such as the ridiculously low price France imposed for uranium, 50% of the countries money is in French banks and they have to borrow their own money with interest, just two of the many injustices imposed on many countries in the continent. Seriously these so called corporate news outlets reek of disingenuity, they all need to go find their conscience provided it is even possible.
It's 80%can you imagine
That’s what France do ,they will give you a little money through “aid” by they will take most of your resources were you could earn alot of more money if you own your own resources.
its so nefarious how they downplay the injustices happening. Very upsetting.
And France has been happy to intervene to keep corrupt governments in place. Uh, I mean to "preserve democracy" and "fight terrorism".
All the while asking these stupid Access Hollywood questions like they giving viewers a balanced reportage of facts. Why do we have to learn from the comment section that Frances uses the Africans money as a hedge to keep their own banks stable, what would Niger be like if that 50% (or 80%) of their money was in their own banks? How much more worth would that give them in trade & having a seat at the table? I'm truly sick of news media, the comments know more than they do. So fake & deliberately sloppy with this endless one-sided reporting.
Because Africa is tired of been the giver, then made out to look like the beggar and needy….
ego will not get you far. cooperation will.
You mean western ego? absolutely imperialistic ego never gets you anywhere, cooperating with africa and treating them fairly will indeed get things done@@handle-changed
@@handle-changedwe are cooperating. With Russia and China
Africa will rise to power, if not in our era, it shall be in the next... A seat at the table is now in sight for Africa...
If it is for the next then you must start educating them right now
Compared to the developed countries, Africans are practically still in the Stone Age. It simply hasn’t the cultural capital to come close to the West in a generation like Japan and South Korea did.
*Better topic:* How does Africa effectively deal with the *ORIGINAL contagion* on the continent -- "Western" imperialism, while cleansing itself of corrupt, self-serving "leaders"?
The day American pulled out from Afghan a plan number #2 was ready for execution. Most don't know it but France is just now realizing how costly the word "ALLIES" means. It means you are a vasal state of America, it means you are a slave of America. It also means if you don't toe the American line you will vanish like many before you. Emanual Macro mentioning autonomy for EU from American policy 3 months ago has resulted in this. France thought that they could get ECOWAS (their proxy) to crush the Niger, Sudan coup well America had other plans - now Gabon. Many more coups to go in coming months and years. If Macro talks more independence in future interviews well there are other coups waiting. Leave it to the CIA they have 70 year experience in this domain in every country. Just ask the Germans what happened to their cheap Russian gas pipeline - another so called Allie. You are allies NOT the boss so stay within your space decided by Neocons in the US. Who is Putin really fighting? Its the Neocons in America not Ukraine. God help the French as the CIA won't. To be enemies with America is dangerous but to be an Allie/friend with America is 100% FETAL. Its that simple.
@@dialogswithgod7128
I get it that the U.S. commands loyalty or else...You have to understand, however, that the coups in "former" French colonies started _before_ Macron publicly called for the "autonomy" of the European Union. Truth be told, anti-Western sentiment had been brewing for a while; it is only now the world media is taking note because of the recent coups in close succession.
certainly not by letting Russia take over the control over the corrupt African dictators and the natural resources of the African countries
@@goeast12blah blah blah blah blah.... ain't nobody got time to read all that essay you wrote but you actually just proved your ignorance. Do you know that all those inventions you mentioned wouldn't be possible without the resources being stolen from Africa by the West?
@goeast12 all the resources come from us without Africa Europe will be third world
Wonderfully balanced and objective coverage. As always, succinct coverage of complex issues. Well done Sandra!
It was patronizing generalizations not near the truth which would be more racist.
It kinda underplays the chokehold France still has over the Sahel. They have full control over the currencies in these states, and have even helped overthrow governments critical of this control.
@@Baronnax franc cfa has actually benefitted currency stability, look at Nigeria as a example or zimbabwe where the locals 'run' the show.
If it was 'wonderfully balanced and objective' then where are comments from the French Government? Not even token ones.
@@carlmanvers5009 my opinion. You are entitled to yours.
Why not ask the people
Africa is Africa Leave them alone that means Russia and China also
No it doesn't. Russia is perfectly fine. We want Russia. europe and China gotta go. Take the arabs who hate blacks with them.
China and Russia are not imposing themselves on us.
Russia just forgave 23 bullion in debt from niger no other european country even mentioned the possibility bc they want maintain control of Africa
Exactly....
China can help
I used to work in Africa (Ghana and Mali) and in truth, nothing will change because corrupt and incompetent civilian governments will be replaced by corrupt and incompetent military governments. In the meantime, the prospects of the common people of the country will not improve. This has been the way it is in far too many parts of Africa for the last 65 years, when they first started to gain their independence. There are certainly stand out success stories, with Ghana headling the list.
Maybe you / we all should be a little bit understanding as African countries have been independent for only 60 yrs...It took more time to the any western countries to get where they are today. Africa needs help in a good will way, guidance, trade... Africa needs to be treated as a commercial partner. West company should win if Africa is winning. And corruption has to be addressed as an obstacle to foreign direct investment.
Ex-European colonies in S.E. Asia have done so much better, Singapore being the most outstanding.
@@ahlimbuhap5097 true ..but look at Singapore history ( it was a dictatorship plus less interference from the outside world). After African independence, those countries were still bound by outrageous contracts with its former masters, plenty coups and assassinations and massive corruption to get resources for almost free all, wars fuelled and organized by the same. Looking at a map and a timeline doesn't give you the full story.
@@curiositykillsthecat
yep.
he forgot to acknowledge the obvious:
Western Europe supports Corrupt African Leaders,
and Undermines Honest African Leaders.
this is essential for their NEO COLONIALISM to thrive 🔥🔥🔥
They can't be corrupted if the one who deals with them is honest and deals with them honestly, Evil intention creates corruption
As a French expatriate living in Niger, the issue is that the military generals were not reaping enough revenue from the raw mineral exports. With France issues in controlling their own African citizens, the French decided against taking any military intervention. The result for France will be the same after these coups but instead of paying off corrupt politicians, they will now pay off corrupt military leaders.
You are right? All of them are the same, both the military leaders and the political leaders. We need complete revolution of mindset and trust worthy individual to man this country
Yep, if they're thinking these military dictators wouldn't be corrupt, they're gonna be disappointed in a couple of years.
We'll see... 😊 If they are truly corrupt they won't last long either
@@bonganimkhwanazi2081 actually military leaders last longer because they pay higher wages to the military to keep the already existing loyalty strong.
This is how you approach the situation. The "people" being fed up is just an excuse for these coups. In reality new leaders that strive to stay in power will now crush the opposition being more corrupt and ruthless than the ones that came before them. These African people on the streets are actually doomed.
And why shouldn't we believe the French are not behind that in France to protect their hegemony. Unfortunately, Gabon appears not to be free as the Gabonese citizens might want to believe.
Thanks Sandy for the wider all encompassing perspective. Lot of research and effort at play.
She forgets to mention the CFA franc
@@Sipho_ThenjwayoExactly controlling the money of independent countries
As long as all this leads to the future prosperity of all those African nations who have experienced coups recently
when Russia is taking over power it always leads to the population being impoverished, ask all of Russia's former colonies and look at them now, after 30 years of EU and NATO membership, start with Poland and the Baltic countries
…spoilers…it just leads to a new generation of exploiters….
@@ZetaMoolah Ironic that the founding fathers of the US were revolutionaries who couped their Colonial British Rulers and the French themselves were big on revolutions.
@@ivannapolsk9421I am afraid you cannot really compare that. It's not like the founding fathers of the US were part of the indigenious population. That was more like one coloniser getting rid of another coloniser.
And the immediate consequences of the French Revolution weren't all that beneficiary to anyone really. Dark times in France and then there was still Napoleon to come.
Revolutions do tend to have their downsides.
I can completely assure you that will not be the case. It's not like this is the first time something like this has happened, the new leadership will be just as greedy, corrupt and incompetent.
Nicely dissected. Thank you.
Don't make it complicated!! ..Thieves must be kicked out..and punished...very simple .....
There is no aid from france to Africa period.
More like rebates😂
We don't need it .ur kids gona need more than us once we cut exploitation
Facts
I’ve always love this program since it started, I mean the “start here” and of course the young lady handling it has been doing a great job of it. You’re outstanding.
The spark of revolution!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Absolutely 💯
Love your show needs to do it everyday or week through the topics you speak about its very interesting
Why can't an African deliver this documentary? 😫
I believe it will go well, if someone like us was delivering this,be it White ,Arab or black
No one is stopping you to start a UA-cam channel.
Well explained 👏
wow, what a comprehensive analysis!
I’m África you can break into a person’s house, tie them up, steal their belongings, and if you yell “Down with France!”, the victim will love you.😅 So gullible!
I’m sure it’s nothing to do with Russia and the presents of wagers in those countries 😉
yeah lets just blame russia and not europe's neocolonialism 🤡
Really interesting analysis.
Amazing analysis.
This report has omitted many factors that contributed to anti-French sentiments in West Africa. Even after these countries gained their independence, France maintained control over their economies by introducing a common currency. Their funds must be deposited in a French bank, and they are only allowed to access 50% of their funds annually. Additionally, they are required to submit financial reports detailing how they spend their money. France's exploitation of the region has resulted in it becoming one of the poorest in the world
Yeah, but it seems the CFA franc provides stability to the region. It's not all good but it's not all bad either.
"The CFA franc monetary system is designed to guarantee the franc currency in international markets, while simultaneously preventing overdraft and inflation in CFA member countries. Between the early 1950s and the mid-1980s, CFA franc countries had stronger real GDP growth and lower inflation than other sub-Saharan African countries. For example, within the past fifty years, Côte d’Ivoire experienced an average inflation rate of 6%- a much lower rate than its neighbor Ghana, which averaged 29% inflation."
French colonial approach and policy was a failure right from the partition of Africa,,,,the policy of assimilation was dead on arrival,,,,why didn't the British fail with anglo Africa??
❤You Sandra Gathmaan
This is a very interesting topic
LET THEM BE FREE
France has Pacific colonies like New Caledonia & French Polynesian. I truly hope my Pacific people find their strength to take independence like our African brothers are doing. Keep it up 👍🏽
Yup and they have island nations part of Africa and South America (French Guinea)
Polynesians funniest people I know. Always a great time with them around. I hope for the best for you guys.
Brilliant, thanks.
Concise 👌👌👌
Next is Nigeria
Egypt needs a good coup
Their economy is dying
God forbid
A very good and to the point analysis of what is going on there. Brief and to the point.
She missed the facts
As an American, it's hilarious watching these journalists tie themselves in knots trying to explain this. Talking about "coups". B***h this is a revolution!
More countries should follow pls
Wether you paint Russia as a negative or positive partner for us in Africa we see Russia different from what those in the west see.
Let the west continue in their old Ideology. We in Africa already know what the west has been doing and still continue to do. We shall build our relationship within our interest in the condinent of Africa that benefit our population.
Kindly speak for yourself
These African countries now have a balls to rise up because they now have an option, that are China and Russia. The West May hide behind “liberal morality”, but that morality isn’t really aligned with the culture of a lot of countries, including these African countries. The West “aids” to Africa never lifted these people out of poverty. They need to be treated to be an equal, in terms of business. They need to get mutually beneficial agreements with their raw materials, unfortunately the West never gave them that, & people in the west May hate it, but Russia and China provides a better deal.
Nice one!! You always give your best to simplify different concepts on each episode….thank you so much for that….However, I will like to ask….
What is your take on Saudi-israeli normalization….do you have anything for us regarding that?
Black people are slowly realizing their potential. This is the people who are tired of living in poverty while outside countries make banks off their resources.
Really very informative channel explaining each and everything clearly without bias. I hope your work of shed light on suppressed innocent people to counter west influence in Africa. I will make Africa a rich continent oneday. It will happen very soon.
Very interesting.
nice episode
Although complex, your last point that France plunders and benefits is the key. France brought in these terrorists when they overthrew Libya. People know that . If not for Africa, France would be poor.
this is a silly comment, France has invested a lot of money in Africa to get business and the economy going, but corrupt governments are stealing most of the money, it does not reach the people
Francophone Spring
The enunciation of this presenter is great
Camerron is next
I wonder if these coups lead to another conflicts among themselves like in sudan.
no, these coups will lead to Putin making more money he desperately needs for his war in Ukraine
It’s not a coup in Sudan, it’s a civil war, those mixed race children of Saudi descents are fighting for power
france treasury bank central cfa franc
Mayibuye iAfrika. Ilizwe lethu. A luta continua; Vitoria e certa!
I like ur style. U just give it how it is. Real news. Big up ur dam self YAARD style.
It’s about time African countries start to prosper from their own resources
I predict that these countries will be worse of in 10 years.
We must learn to say no to coups! I am a Nigerian and I am against coup in any form.
Even when it's to free yourself?
your president is a clown that puppet
Coming to Nigeria soon
Elect good leaders not like the puppet in your country
@@ladislaugomes7447America is not free. Free is just a state of mind. We always have our lives dictated for us. It is happening all over the world.
I don’t understand why this channel lightens up how France is AFFECTING AFRICA. I hate it. The situation in Africa must be taken seriously and addressed truthfully!
Why is there music in the background?
Lies, u should fire this evil reporter
LOL! It's always the others
For real never ask the people there
@@axumitedessalegn3549west Africans simply don't want to see themselves become like Canadian aboriginal people's or American aboriginals or Australian aboriginal people's. It's simple as that. The others do have an agenda and a dark one at that. Open your eyes. Unless you have a counter argument 🙄
It's a fact whenever there is military coup there is disaster. We can see this trend almost in every poor or 3rd world country.
Good and balanced analysis of the recent coups in Sahel: poverty, corruption, and great power competition between France and Russia.
So basically, childlike mentality is the cause.
Childlike 😂😂no exploitive parasite have to go
@@Travelvision2020 which itself is child like mentality
@@axumitedessalegn3549 i don't think I understand wut a childlike mentality means
russian propaganda.
Russia never participated in the scramble for africa like all the other european countries they became a super power internally so africans can deal with russia without a tainted history
😍 Sandra 😍
Tuna ngoja yetu 🇰🇪 Kenya 🇰🇪 🎉
Madam can you make a video on india Canada relation
I am not asking more countries to follow, but which country is next one.
🕊️🕊️🕊️
You didn't explicitly say that France is still ripping them off massively. Essentially that is the reason. The aid is a joke!
She has a beautiful voice.
I’ve missed watching Sandra
If Africa wants to become prosperous the people of Africa need to unite and former either and African Super State, or 2 or 3 smaller - yet still large enough to hold their own against the West and China - African Federations.
If Japan (with almost zero natural resources to speak of) can become a global economic power, then the sky is the limit for Africa if she plays her cards correctly.
freedom and humanity
Both insightful and smart. The post Cold War and age of terror seem almost quaint in comparison to the multiple strands ( climate change, overpopulation , radical technological advancement and the retreat of democracy) that the world has to contend with.
French here and please do not consider that when a country does a thing the The entirety of the people supports it
All respect for whatever reason people think about France the bottom line is France have to leave Africa which is the whole truth and nothing but the truth
France is Playing Both SIDES. "United...You Stand. Divided...Get Conquered"
"Whether more countries will follow?" LMAO Prigozhin was so dedicated and inspired by these coupes that he decided to bring a part of Africa to our homeland
Not gonna mention that the French still control the currency that these countries use?
From the narration France is part of the equation but not the only problem.
"cous in Africa"
Why aren't the media calling it the African Spring?
More countries will follow
More then we actually know
and what will be the result. more educated , literate, creative and inventive people leaving in peace ?
I'm expecting equatorial Guinea,i just feel that
The short answer to your question is: injustice
I bless the rains down in Africa.
"looks like there is a pattern here..."
My only objections to what these nations are doing is their gravitating toward relationships with China and Russia. They don't need either of those countries to prosper. They run the risk of just replacement one colonial power, with another.
Turning to China is such dumb move. They’ll just swap France for an even more ruthless oppressor.
the goat had me dead
they have to choose a side before the third
Africa should be a like the Dubai but a continent
What abt Ethiopia??
No mention of the financial flow of $ billions through the use of "offshore banking", "shell companies" etc. that creates this artificial poverty. Until this system is ended, it will make little difference if there is a military or civilian government and, poverty will remain a fact for the citizens of these countries while a very small percentage of people (civilian or military) will continue to be extremely wealthy.
Y’all forgot about Sudan
Break free my African brothers and sisters ✊