AFRICOM Watch Bulletin #53

Since Niger and Mali exposed that Ukraine, a nation heavily reliant on the United States for military and economic support, is supporting terrorism in the Sahel, this has starkly exposed the contradictions inherent in AFRICOM's mission on the African continent. AFRICOM was established under the premise of combating terrorism and ensuring stability in Africa. However, if a U.S.-backed government is actively aiding terrorist groups in the Sahel, it suggests that AFRICOM's role may not be as straightforward as it claims. Instead, it could be seen as part of a broader strategy that perpetuates instability and conflict in Africa, thereby justifying its continued presence and expanding influence under the guise of fighting terrorism.

This scenario would lend credence to the belief that AFRICOM's true purpose is not to eliminate terrorism but rather to maintain a perpetual state of conflict and dependency on the continent. By fostering instability, AFRICOM ensures that African states remain reliant on U.S. military support, which aligns with the strategic interests of the U.S. and its European and other allies in securing access to Africa's vast natural resources. 

The purpose of AFRICOM is to make African militaries so integrated and dependent on US technologies and support as to make them easy to control and direct towards imperial interests whether that be by standing up, standing down, committing assassinations, committing coups, protecting coups, among other atrocities. Africans become the face of U.S. imperialism on the continent to protect against unwanted scrutiny while still maintaining U.S. access to African resources.

Join us for the International Month of Action Against AFRICOM in October to demonstrate our opposition to these designs.

U.S. Out of Africa: Voices from the Struggle

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin spoke with Inemesit Richardson, the co-founder of The Thomas Sankara Center for African Liberation and Unity (@Burkinabooks), a Pan-African library and political education center based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso where she resides. She is an organizer with the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party (A-APRP) and All-African Women’s Revolutionary Union (A-AWRU). She is also a journalist with African Stream.

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin: The AES confederation was recently established as a transitional step before forming a federation. Can you explain the significance of this move and how it has been received by the people in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger?

Inemisit Richardson: The AES confederation is a huge move not just for the countries of the Sahel, but for Africa as a whole because it opens a pathway to sovereignty for the entire continent. This brings us one step closer to a totally unified Africa. Of course, we understand that it will take a high level of class struggle and revolution in order for the confederation to expand, but that is the real aspiration of the civilians within the AES and their leaders. The people want the AES states to form a nucleus for the broader Pan-African liberation struggle. The heads of state of the three countries have also emphasized the importance of African unity in this sense. Having visited all three AES countries, the strong desire for a singular ‘United States of Africa’ per the vision of Kwame Nkrumah, Modibo Keita, Cheikh Anta Diop and many others is abundantly clear and cannot be overstated. In the meantime, the AES countries have formed a confederation with a shared foreign policy which is built upon the principle of multipolarity– a value popularly evoked by civilians in this region of the world– and anti-imperialism as proven by their tremendous strides away from western neo-colonial rule. People across the Sahel celebrated the creation of the confederation with pride and excitement. Many organizations, including the Thomas Sankara Centre, also recognize that we have a lot of work to do to build a federation to regroup the Sahel, and all of Africa, into one single country with a shared government and citizenship. 

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin: The Thomas Sankara Center has co-authored a declaration calling for a federation of the AES states. What are the main challenges the AES faces in transitioning from a confederation to a federation, and how can these be addressed? What role do grassroots movements and civil society organizations play in pushing this agenda forward? 

Inemisit Richardson: Well, transforming a confederation into a federation is no easy feat. It has been attempted on various historical occasions and has often failed due to heavy imperialist meddling. Right now Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are all in the midst of a major security crisis. Paramilitary death squads known as ‘terrorists’ in the post-9/11 language of US foreign policy, have wreaked havoc on various subregions of the three states since the NATO invasion of Libya in 2011. It was in the aftermath of Muammar Gaddafi’s assassination that rebel groups first accessed the slain leader’s governmental weapon stash to bring arms into the Sahel. Since that time, the Sahel has become a highly militarized and, in some key places, dangerous zone. In reality, these paramilitary death squads are not so different from the Contras that sought to destroy Nicaragua in the 1980s or the death squads that the United States supported in El Salvador. This security crisis is the biggest thing slowing down the creation of a Sahel federation. To give an example of what this looks like in practice, in January of 2023, Burkina Faso’s prime minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla met with the prime ministers of Mali and Guinea (Guinea was friendly towards Mali and Burkina Faso for a brief moment) in order to propose the creation of a railway system linking the three states. Apart from Guinea’s distancing from the revolutionary Sahel states, the other reason this did not move forward is likely due to the fact that this endeavor would require building miles of railway tracks over lands that have been seized by these violent death squads. That is why security has been the first and the preeminent focus of the AES leaders as well as many of the AES citizens who have chosen to take up arms and go to the frontlines in recent times. 

With that being said, there is very little that has happened within the AES that did not begin first as a call emanating from the grassroots. The reason why AES leaders are so beloved by their people is because they have consistently submitted to the people’s will. There would not even be an Alliance of Sahel States in any form if the AES leaders did not listen to the cries of their people to form one. Mass mobilisations led by civil society organizations called for the removal of French troops from the soils of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The leaders heard this call and followed the demands of their people. Niger was at the vanguard of calling for the expulsion of US troops as well, civilians having protested against AFRICOM’s presence for many years. Thus, Niger became the first African country in history to give AFRICOM the boot. Civilians in all three countries have organized mass demonstrations in favor of increased Russian partnership. Today Russia is the closest partner to the AES states apart from one another. And what started these mobilizations? Here in Burkina Faso, these mobilizations emerged in response to Assimi Goïta’s political direction and the revolution in Mali. The very first cries of the people across the Sahel as the tides were beginning to turn was to join the Malian people and their government, to become one with Mali. So Pan-Africanism was always at the base of these revolutions. Now it is up to grassroots organizations across the AES to raise their voices and push hard for the creation of this federation by any means necessary. The people know what they want and need. It is only a matter of organizing properly to get it. 

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin: The AES has called for closer collaboration with states like Russia, Iran, and the DPRK. What are the strategic benefits of these alliances, and how do they align with the goals of the AES?

Inemisit Richardson: As aforementioned, the people of the AES were the first to raise their voices and call for close collaboration with Russia. The average person in the Sahel has a very sharp analysis of world geopolitics. People know that France, the US, and other western countries have exploited Africa and plundered its resources. They also know that there is a new camp emerging in the world and that Russia is at the forefront of it. They recognize that, unlike the western powers, Russia did not colonize their ancestors, does not control their monetary system, has never assassinated their leaders, has never carried out coups d'etat deposing progressive leaders, has never rigged African elections, does not send its own private companies to dominate Africa’s local economy, does not trap Africa in predatory loans, does not control the Bretton Woods institutions, and has been relatively non-interventionist towards Africa in general. For this reason, the overwhelming majority in the Sahel strongly prefer Russian partnership. People in the Sahel today are very perceptive and understand the strategies and tactics of imperialism. They know that the current imperialist talking point is that ‘both sides are bad’ or that they need ‘neither Russia nor France’ and they don’t fall for this rhetoric anymore.

People also appreciate partnerships with Iran for similar reasons. Iran is a powerful country that has a great capacity to defend itself and resist imperialist aggression. Countries like Russia and Iran are important to the people of the Sahel because, beyond collaborating within the areas of security, they offer the AES countries a pathway towards industrialization through the creation of factories, refineries, and power plants. That is how you know that Russia and Iran are not neo-colonial powers imposing themselves on Africa. The number one goal of the imperialist system is to maintain Africa’s status as a producer of raw materials. The west has worked tirelessly to prevent technology transfers and the development of the industry as that would allow Africa to become self-sufficient and compete with the west at their level of production. 

Finally, people are excited about the new relationship being forged with the DPRK because, here in Burkina Faso in particular, people remember the extent to which the DPRK was a friend of the Sankara revolution. Thomas Sankara visited Pyongyang on multiple occasions. There are even rumors that the Burkinabe national anthem, with lyrics written by Thomas Sankara, was composed by a North Korean. People also fly the North Korean flag at a lot of rallies because they know that the flag is a symbol that western countries find threatening or upsetting. 

Burkina Faso is also establishing new relationships with Nicaragua, which just opened its first West African embassy in Ouagadougou at the beginning of this year, and with Venezuela. Nicaragua is also a country that Burkinabe remember very fondly during the Sankara-era as Sankara was very outspoken about defending the Sandinista and made two trips to the country. Venezuela has also long been on Burkina Faso’s radar as the Burkinabe have paid very close attention to the Bolivarian revolution over the years. 

News and Analysis

African states call for UN action against Ukraine

August 21, 2024 by RT

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have written to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) demanding action against Ukraine for its alleged involvement in a rebel attack that killed dozens of Malian soldiers and Russian military contractors.

The Imperialist Attack on the Alliance of Sahel States

August 14, 2024, by Essam Elkorghli, Kribsoo Diallo, and Matteo Capasso

The recent attack on Mali has the fingerprints of Western imperialism all over it. This series of events is part of the tried and true imperialist method of creating the conditions for intervention by sewing chaos and terror. This cyclical process must be broken through revolutionary action.

Mali and Niger Breaks Diplomatic Relations with Ukraine Accusing NATO Ally of Involvement in Terrorist Attacks

August 14, 2024, by Abayomi Azikiwe

The United States proxy war against the Russian Federation continues to impact the African continent.

Gerald Horne - Ukraine Spreading ‘Terrorism’ Around the World –Kiev is Doing the Bidding of the West

August 8, 2024, by Activist News Network

Dr. Gerald Horne, professor of History at the University of Houston, author, historian, and researcher, on The Critical Hour discussing the news that Ukraine is Spreading ‘Terrorism’ Around the World –Kiev is Doing the Bidding of the West

Mali’s Position is Clear: The Kiev Regime is a Terrorist State

August 5, 2024, by Mikhail Gamandiy-Egorov

Mali decided to sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine, labeling the Kiev regime as a supporter of international terrorism. The move follows Ukraine's alleged involvement in supporting terrorist groups in northern Mali, which led to the deaths of Malian soldiers. 

The Ruthless and Desperate Pursuit of U.S. Influence and Access Over Africa

July 31, 2024, by Netfa Freeman

AFRICOM is growing more bold in its attempts to maintain dominance over the African continent. Now is the time for Pan-African and Black Nationalist forces to organize to sabotage those efforts and support the masses struggling to free themselves from the yoke of imperialism.

US-AFRICOM Attempts to Open a New War Front Against Russia in Libya

July 2, 2024, by Habib Lassoued

The geopolitical tensions in Libya remain high, with U.S. officials reportedly pressuring Libyan factions to distance themselves from Moscow, potentially escalating into a broader proxy war involving regional and international powers.

Burkina Faso: La Patrie ou la Mort… Venceremos

June 28, 2024, by Inemisit Richardson

Thomas Sankara's ideology had an enduring impact and the connections between Burkina Faso's revolutionary past and present, including ties with states like Cuba and Nicaragua.

Banner photo: Mali Rebels display Ukraine Flag (courtesy youtube.com/@CRUXnews.)

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin #52

As anti-imperialist sentiment gains momentum in Africa, the Alliance of Sahelian States has demonstrated a clear resolve to reclaim sovereignty from foreign powers. The backlash against Western presence, and French presence in particular, has ignited a broader conversation about the future of foreign intervention and the true path to self-determination for African nations. Yet, while AFRICOM and Western military forces are being pushed out of the Sahel by people's movements, we see a much different relationship elsewhere on the continent taking note, in particular, of the ongoing close coordination between the US and Botswana Defense Forces as well as the US and Kenya Defense forces even as they are illegitimately deployed against their own civil society. 

With Kenya as a current poster child, we observe that in Africa, there are hundreds of political parties that do not serve the interests of African people. These parties serve as middlemen between imperialism and the masses of the people.  But even in more convoluted or reactionary political environments, there is always pushback. In tandem with the events in the Sahel, Kenya is witnessing its own wave of resistance against neocolonialism, particularly in the form of protests against President William Ruto and his collusion with the IMF to further immiserate the Kenyan people on behalf of Western interests. Ruto has also sent Kenyan police to Haiti, ostensibly to serve Western imperialist agendas under the guise of peacekeeping, in a plan crafted in large part by Meg Whitman, U.S. ambassador to Kenya. These moves have been met with significant opposition within Kenya, highlighting a broader continental struggle against foreign domination and exploitation. The ongoing events signal a rising Pan-African consciousness that seeks to dismantle the remnants of colonialism and resist new forms of imperialist control.

U.S. Out of Africa: Voices from the Struggle

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin spoke with Salifu Mack who is a high school English and History teacher, music lover, and sparkling water connoisseur. He is also a member of the Black Alliance for Peace and the All African People's Revolutionary Party and an organizer with the Lowcountry Action Committee in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. 

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin: You recently spent time on the ground in Burkina Faso during or shortly after the uprisings that led to the backlash against the French colonialists. Did you feel that this was just another military coup in Africa or that this was different and why?

Salifu Mack: Even before arriving in Burkina Faso, it was quite clear to me that the character of this coup was different from what is commonly associated with coups in Africa. My comrades on the ground at the Thomas Sankara Center for African Liberation and Unity had been reporting for months prior about the sentiment that had been emanating from the masses. 

During my time in Burkina Faso, it was quite clear to me that the movements of the Traore administration have been in direct response to, and many cases, in lock-step with the demands of the people of Burkina Faso. While many coups in Africa are a top-down imposition of the will of a few “strong-men”, moves in Burkina Faso such as the ejection of the French military, embassies, and certain NGO and media properties, were demands originally spurring from the grassroots. The military coup led by Captain Ibrahim Traore just provided the muscle to move those demands into reality. 

This is quite different from the January 2022 coup that preceded Traore, led by Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba. That coup administration was deeply unpopular with the masses and lasted only 8 months. Often in Western circles, it is easy to discuss the African masses as people who lack discernment, but the reaction to Damiba contrasted against the positive reaction to Traore should be enough proof to demonstrate that people in Burkina Faso are using sound reasoning and discernment skills to determine what is in their best interests. 

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin: Clearly, France was the primary target among foreign interests. What signs, if any, did you see that the focus would then shift to US AFRICOM next or in the future?

Salifu Mack: On February 2, 2024, I attended a rally outside of the U.S. Embassy in Burkina Faso, organized by an organization called the Black African Defence League. The group was there to deliver a letter to the US ambassador to Burkina Faso, demanding US military bases withdraw from the country immediately. 

They also denounced US imperialist policy, stating that U.S. interference in the affairs of the Alliance of Sahel States would not be tolerated by the popular administrations and that consequences for such interference would be backed by the masses of the country. I remember being so blown away not just by this action, but by the very clear analysis that members of the organization displayed regarding imperialism. 

They understood quite clearly the essence of the idea that imperialism is the primary contradiction in the world today, and they situated the U.S. at the center of that. They were declaring that while France has been the most visible hand in the oppression they’ve experienced, France would never have such abilities without the backing of the U.S. and NATO more explicitly. They pointed directly to the 2011 NATO-led invasion of Libya as a material starting point for the issue of terrorism plaguing the Sahel today. Two months later, the U.S. was dismissed by Niger, and the action was widely celebrated across Burkina Faso. 

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin: With the exit of the French, a power vacuum has been created in the Sahel. Some suspect that the US will fill that vacuum. Others think that Russia via its Wagner group or China might fill that void. In your view, how best can Africans fill that void? 

Salifu Mack: This question comes up quite commonly in western Pan-Africanist spaces and I just want to point out that it goes back to what I mentioned in my first response, but unfortunately it’s going to be a little long-winded. Africans in the Sahel are not being lulled into compliance by the scent of some fancy Russian perfume or the promise of sweet words. The Sahel is a region of Africa that has been absolutely ravaged by the results of years of Western meddling in African affairs, direct and indirect. The Sahel has also, up to the point of establishing a relationship with Russia, received close to no real material support from any outside forces to help tackle that problem. 

The Sahel is surrounded by countries that at best are hollowed-out shells of nations due to years of neocolonial leadership, and at worst, are treacherous lackeys of Western imperialism who willingly engage in acts of sabotage against nations who won’t comply with it. This question and criticism are also often raised by the Western diaspora, who must be mindful of our inability to materially change anything about our situations abroad, and who should be honest about the fact that our powerlessness has led to a passive complicity with U.S. imperialism. With that context in mind, I think we must discuss Sahelian partnerships with Russia, or whoever else they may engage with in the future, with a bit of humility. 

While navigating desperate conditions, leaders of the AES have still managed to initiate quite meaningful security partnerships with the Russian state. Russian flags stand tall beside flags of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger at roundabouts in all three countries. And it is not because Burkinabe are engaged in a delusion of “friendship” but because they understand the utility of strategic alliances. 

In an ideal world for most people I encountered, Africa solves its own problems. However, the Sahel is forced to deal very acutely with the reality that Africa at this very moment has been conquered. They are also more honest about the reality that Africa does not exist in a world apart from the rest of this planet. Sahelian partnerships with Russia have assisted in the longstanding fight against terrorism, creating space and opportunity for meaningful attempts at development. The need for development in the Sahel states is an ill-understood aspect of the struggle there. 

The concern moving forward, in my opinion, needs to be less about filling a void, and more about building upon the achievements of the current struggle. This phase in the AES is just a building block, and each of us has a role to play in building new ones. Africans in the West need to turn our attention towards AFRICOM (through organizations like the Black Alliance for Peace) because its meddling against the region is only going to escalate from here. I also think that we need to be engaged in moving resources to organizations in the Sahel, like the Thomas Sankara Center so that they can continue to facilitate opportunities for in-person work with the masses throughout the region. There are quite energetic anti-imperialist and socialist organizations in the Sahel. Organizations are attempting to do a lot at this moment with very limited resources. The defense of our liberated territories has to be a priority because as these nations increase their capacity, they can increase the power of their material contributions toward the struggle for Pan-Africanism, which is also a very clear motivation of the masses in these countries. I have never encountered Africans with a more serious commitment to pan-African unity than I did in Burkina Faso.

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin: What evidence of structural or policy changes can you identify on the ground that has directly and positively impacted the material reality of the masses since the uprisings and coup?

Salifu Mack: The Traorè administration has received a lot of positive attention for kicking out the French military, NGOs, and enemy media, and rightfully so. I think many people living in the deluded realities of Western states that commit and fund terrorism but do not have to bear the brunt of terrorists running around unchecked, can not appreciate how meaningful it is to Burkinabè to see their anxieties about security being dealt with effectively for the first time in years. But in my opinion, more attention should be paid to the administration's intense focus on development. 

Captain Ibrahim Traoré has demonstrated that he is wholly invested in the process of nationalizing Burkina Faso’s resources. In 2023, the administration announced it would be nationalizing the sugar sector. The SN SOSUCO sugar company, which was once, privatized during the term of the counterrevolutionary president, Blaise Compaoré, is now state-owned. 

This administration has also positioned Burkina Faso, one of Africa's foremost gold-producing states, to develop technology to process gold mine residues on-site. Construction on the factory began in November, and it was opened this January. In his formal announcement, Captain Ibrahim Traoré noted that the facility is 40% owned by the state. 

In addition, Burkina Faso has long implemented land reform policies limiting the amount of land that can be privately possessed to 5 hectares. To boost production, the current administration is subsidizing the cost of agricultural equipment for farmers and has set a goal to increase the productivity of irrigated areas by at least 50%. 

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin: Many African people in the United States question why we should care about what goes on in the Sahel. How would you respond to this and how can those who do care get involved?

Salifu Mack: In chapter 19 of Africa Must Unite, Kwame Nkrumah states that “... any effort at association between the states of Africa, however limited its immediate horizons, is to be welcomed as a step in the right direction: the eventual political unification of Africa.” In my observation, the average, everyday African in Burkina Faso is extremely concerned with the total unity of not just the Sahelian states, but all of Africa. It’s my most sincere hope that the AES can model something that will be the envy of Africans across the continent. The AES states have taken on a huge responsibility which must be delivered on by any means necessary. And this means that Africans everywhere we are around the world have a responsibility to defend it.

This defense, however, can not be actualized as passionate individuals reposting content on social media. We have to be members of political formations with clear principles, and goals, that have an emphasis on political education and action. We need to develop an analysis that helps to draw very succinct connections between what is going on in places like the Sahel and Haiti, and places like Baltimore and Los Angeles. Places where concepts like “terrorists” and “gangs” are being weaponized against the African masses to manufacture consent for police brutality and imperialist invasion. 

There is no cure for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, no way to “free” Sudan, no end to settler colonialism in Western Sahara, or true liberation for Africans in the United States without this unity. No confrontation of violent client states, or our ruthless petit bourgeoisie. No path to true development— not a single road or hospital built truly to our advantage. There is no way forward for our individual states in this modern era that does not involve political and economic unity, and unity presupposes organization. Word to Nkrumah! 

News and Analysis

Burkinabé Rally for Malian President

June 27, 2024, by African Stream

During an all-night rally from sundown to sunrise, Burkinabé supporters of Assimi Goita, the president of the Republic of Mali, raised awareness and showed support for Goita’s first trip to another African country and his second trip outside of Mali.

maũndũ makwa #11 (my things): #RejectFinanceBill2024, end state sanctioned violence, & Kenya out of Haiti

June 27, 2024, by Karĩmi

What to the neo-colonial subject is independence? When can people be freed of imperialism? US military bases and ‘Israeli’ weaponry and all the rest.

Nigeriens Rally Around Revolutionary Government

June 26, 2024, by African Stream

During a rally in support of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), the government of Niger led by President Abdourahamane Tiani, participants were interviewed and expressed support for the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a security pact between Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, which is on track to develop into a confederation. Many also said that the AES was a step in the right direction of the total unification of the African continent.

Around the Horne: Kenya, Haiti, AFRICOM, Palestine, Lebanon, Zimbabwe, and more

June 26, 2024, by Activist News Network

Dr. Gerald Horne speaks about the malign role of AFRICOM and Kenya in Africa in the wake of a brutal crackdown on protest in Kenya, Kenyan police arriving in Haiti, and a two-day U.S. Africa Command conference in Gaborone, Botswana that drew defense chiefs from 32 African countries.

The Congolese Fight for Their Own Wealth

June 25, 2024, by Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research

The DRC’s vast mineral wealth contrasts with its extreme poverty, caused by exploitation and conflict. The dossier emphasizes sovereignty and dignity, echoing Congolese activists' visions for freedom.

The Cocoa Industry and Slave Labor | Netfa Freeman on Modus Operandi

June 10, 2024 by Modus Operandi on RT

This interview journeys from unpacking the unionization efforts of African cocoa farmers vs multinational corporations, the disturbing allegations of child labor exploitation within the cocoa industry, to the role of the West and AFRICOM in the geopolitical situation across the Sahel and West Africa.

ECOWAS: A Black Radical Perspective

June 1, 2024, by The Black Alliance for Peace Africa Team

The US and EU states work with intergovernmental regional organizations like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as a geo-strategy to give cover for neo-colonialist interests. 

African Liberation Day Remarks from Niger

May 25, 2024 by Alassane Aboubakar

Alassane Aboubakar, member of the Organisation Révolutionnaire pour une Démocratie Nouvelle (ORDN) Tarmamowa, speaks on African Liberation Day. The ORDN is a political party in Niger. ORDN Tarmamowa is a member of WAPO (West Africans Peoples Organisation), an umbrella organization of progressive West African political parties, organizations, and trade union associations for the total liberation and unification of Africa, so dear to Comrade Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah.

The Sahel seeks sovereignty

May 14, 2024, by West Africa People's Organisations

The last year has seen tremendous transformations in the Sahel region with popularly-backed military coups calling for an end to French colonialism as well as progressive electoral victories

For the Defense of the Alliance of Sahel States

May 9, 2024, by The Coalition for the Elimination of Imperialism in Africa

The Coalition for the Elimination of Imperialism in Africa calls on the African masses on the continent and in the diaspora to organize like never before in defense of the Alliance of Sahel States, for this alliance is at the forefront of our struggle against imperialism. What began as a national liberation struggle in each member state has rapidly consolidated into a Pan-African union for the complete emancipation of Africa.

Banner photo: President of the Transition of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré examining a cinder block at the construction site of the country’s very first gold refinery plant (courtesy world-today-news.com.).

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin #50

While the U.S. continues to fund an active genocide against the Palestinian people with the settler colonial state of Israel, imperialism continues to wreak havoc in Africa. BAP urges readers to stay alert and engaged on struggles happening all over the Global South as they all connect back to the belly of the beast. We have been following one of the latest flare-ups in Sudan as part of a multi-year long brutal war between ruling class actors that have led to one of the largest refugee crises in the world. 

“When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.”

U.S. Out of Africa: Voices from the Struggle

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin spoke with Salome Ayuak who is an educator, researcher, and organizer currently serving as the Information Secretary of the South Sudanese Acholi of North America Association and a member of Black Alliance for Peace - Atlanta. 

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin: In December of 2022 it seemed that negotiations for a two year transition to civilian leadership in Sudan were in the process. By April of 2023 fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began. According to the UN, over 12 thousand women, men and children have reportedly been killed in Sudan and between about 7.4 million have been displaced. And yet, even prior to October 7th when the current crisis in occupied Palestine intensified, we hear very little about  Sudan. What are your thoughts about why?

Salome Ayuak: The current lack of attention to the war in Sudan can be attributed to several factors. First, there's lack of knowledge and political education regarding the Horn of Africa overall which results in limited public interest and discourse. Understanding the current war requires a deeper grasp of Sudanese history beyond humanitarian statistics, which many people do not have the inclination to explore in this era of quick information. To truly comprehend the present moment, studying the history of Sudan is necessary, rather than relying solely on social media graphics that conveniently appear on our feeds. This is especially crucial considering the lack of access to internet and telecommunication tools in Sudan, making it challenging, if not impossible, for everyday people to document the war for the western audience. Furthermore, the absence of a strong international movement in solidarity with Sudan contributes to its limited visibility in global discourse. Historically, much of the international discourse on Sudan has been controlled by neoliberals such as the Clooneys and Clintons, who dictate to those in the West, particularly the U.S., when and how to "save Sudan," or more specifically, Darfur. The ongoing wars in the Sudan  from the first Sudanese civil war which began one year before the 1956 flag independence up until 1982 and the second civil war from 1983 - 2005, have also led to a desensitization among many, who may view it as just "another African country at war," thereby diminishing the significance of the present popular uprisings turned war between armed forces who are all in opposition to the most important group in this fight - which are the interests of the masses of Sudanese peoples. If we claim to be pro-African peoples, we must amplify all struggles of African peoples towards liberation. If we don’t know enough about the struggles, then we must study it so we have correct analysis to stand in real solidarity. 

AWB: Talk about the 2-3 most important things most people just don't get about Sudan and its current geopolitical situation

SA: Sudan's geopolitical situation is deeply influenced by the economic consequences of South Sudan's secession in 2011. The split resulted in a significant loss of oil revenue for Sudan, as the majority of oil fields were in the newly independent South. This economic downturn was further exacerbated by IMF austerity measures imposed on Sudan, including cuts in public sector development budgets, downsizing of the government, and lifting of subsidies on essential goods like sorghum and petroleum. The austerity measures led to bleak living conditions (already experienced by those in the peripheries) to expand to the professional class in the city centers such as doctors who now need 2-3 jobs to live. This led to protests in the city and the cultivation of groups such as the Sudanese Tea Sellers Association, Sudan Professionals Association, and neighborhood groups who in 2019 were at the forefront of revolts. 

The geopolitical landscape of Sudan involves the complex interplay of militias and foreign actors. In terms of militias and foreign involvement, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Hemedti, and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by Burhan, play crucial roles. RSF has been legitimized through bilateral trade agreements on minerals.  The Wagner Group from Russia and Canadian lobbyists have further played roles in legitimizing these militias. The involvement of external powers, including the U.S., the European Union, and Israel, in training, financing, and arming these militias and forces adds another layer of complexity. The RSF's access to gold mines in Darfur and its role in blocking immigrants at the behest of European nations illustrate the multifaceted connections shaping Sudan's geopolitical situation.

It is also important  to mention the role of the U.S. in fueling conflict in Sudan to control its energy resources, cementing access to the Red Sea which links the Mediterranean to Asia and is one of the world’s busiest waterways.

The current geopolitical situation is also influenced by neo-colonial interests, with the split of Sudan into Western Sudan, South Sudan, and Sudan, reflecting regional and international designs. The control over different regions by the RSF and SAF aligns with neocolonial strategies, reinforcing the influence of external actors in Sudan's internal affairs.

AWB: Recently, the African Union honored former UN Ambassador Susan Rice as a leader "working to empower across the African Diaspora." This is the same Susan Rice who as an operative of then-President Obama worked to blockade Sudan's ports and launched selective bombing raids in Sudan. What should be one's takeaways about the African Union from this as well as its recent track record?

SA: The African Union of today is made up of neocolonial puppets for western governments. Similar to Burhan and Hemedti, they do not work for the interests of the masses of African peoples. The U.S. necessitates misleaders such as those currently in power in order to continue controlling African land, people, and resources. Leaders such as John Garang, who advocated for Sudanese resources to be in the hands of Sudanese people are killed while leaders like Yoweri Museveni in Uganda who work for the interest of the U.S. supplying troops to fight Africans in Congo are to live long lives. 

AWB: What are the most hopeful signs about Sudan and how can others support moving that hope forward?

The most hopeful sign about Sudan is the people know this war is not theirs. Before the war, the Sudanese people were fighting a popular movement, in line with Sudan’s long history of peoples led revolts from the 1998 Mahdist Revolts to the 1964 anti-police violent revolts, to 2019 revolts against exploitative living conditions. We, the Sudanese people, have a strong history and understand revolution as a process. The sit-ins, demonstrations, boycotts, writing of the People's Charter, neighborhood associations, were all cultivated by the people of Sudan - everyday people from tea sellers to lawyers to students to hustlers. The revolts we’ve seen are not mouthfed and the people of Sudan know that neither Hemedti nor Burhan is fighting in their interests. 

News and Analysis

Eugene Puryear on Sudan, 5 Years Since the December Revolution

December 20, 2023 by Eugene Puryear

Five years after Sudan’s December revolution, the country is facing a devastating humanitarian crisis. A raging civil war has left hundreds of thousands displaced, facing hunger and poverty. Eugene Puryear of Breakthrough News talks about the events that have led to this situation, tracing developments back to the hope ignited by the December revolution five years ago.

War in Sudan Engulfs Agricultural Heartland Amid Record Levels of Hunger

January 1, 2024 by Pavan Kulkarni

After capturing Gezira, a state in central Sudan that was producing half of its wheat and providing refuge to hundreds of thousands of IDPs, the RSF is set to battle the Sudanese Armed Forces for the neighboring states to consolidate control over the country’s agricultural heartland.

Terrorism in Africa Increased 100,000% During 'War on Terror'

February 12, 2024 by Nick Turse

Deaths from terrorism in Africa have skyrocketed more than 100,000 percent during the U.S. war on terror according to a new study by Africa Center for Strategic Studies, a Pentagon research institution. These findings contradict claims by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) that it is thwarting terrorist threats on the continent and promoting security and stability.

Black Alliance for Peace’s U.S. Out of Africa Network Deplores Plans to Expand U.S. Drone Atrocities in West Africa

February 5, 2024 by Black Alliance for Peace

The U.S. plan to build three new military drone bases in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Benin are some of the newest imperialist efforts in Western Africa that are supported by neo-colonial African governments and collaborators, as demonstrated by the existence of AFRICOM and the silence of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) on this development.

Chad, Mauritania Pave Way for Dissolution of G5 Sahel Alliance

December 6, 2023 by Al Jazeera

Chad and Mauritania said they “take note and respect the sovereign decision” of Burkina Faso and Niger to leave the alliance, following in the footsteps of Mali, which quit in 2022.

Canceled US Joint Exercises in Africa Shows Washington's Influence Abroad Slipping

January 28, 2024 by Sputnik International

U.S. military leadership has scrapped plans to hold joint exercises with several African states such as Sudan, Mali, Niger, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Burkina Faso. This suggests the weakening of U.S. influence.

Banner photo: AFRICOM Director of Intelligence, U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, spoke with Sudanese military professionals from the Sudanese Higher Military Academy in Sudan, Jan. 27, 2021, courtesy africom.mil.

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin #49

From Cop City in Georgia to Genocide in Gaza, the rise of fascism touches all colonized people. It is extremely important in this time of sharpened contradictions in the global capitalist system for Africans and working class people all over the world to make these connections and build solidarity with oppressed peoples everywhere.

BAP unequivocally supports the Palestinian’s struggle for self-determination, their land, sovereignty, freedom and justice. The struggle of Palestinians is the struggle of Africans is the struggle of the masses.

U.S. Out of Africa: Voices from the Struggle

Since the October 7th act of Palestinian resistance to the 75 year occupation, there has been a great deal of discussion among African people about how this applies to us? Some feel that we have our own liberation struggles and have no capacity to focus on those of others. Others feel that there is a link between the liberation struggle of the Palestinian people and those of African people.

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin spoke with Djibo Sobukwe recently who is a former longtime member of the All African People's Revolutionary Party and a member of Black Alliance for Peace Africa and Research / Political Education teams.

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin (AWB): When most people think of the African Diaspora, they don’t think of Palestine. Should it be included, why or why not?

Djibo Sobukwe (DS): I think it should be included because by definition “the African diaspora” includes anywhere in the world where we find persons of African ancestry living. There is definitely an Afro Palestinian community in Palestine, in fact one would be hard pressed to find any country in the middle east (Western Asia) that doesn’t have some presence of people of African descent. It is appropriate here to mention a famous Afro Palestinian freedom fighter named Fatima Bernawi who was nine years old at the time of the Nakba. She later joined the Fatah movement, and was reportedly the first Palestinian woman jailed by the Israeli Defense Forces for being involved in a planned attack. After spending 10 years in jail she was released in a prisoner exchange and then went on to work with PLO chairman Yassir Arafat.

AWB: How should we respond to the African person, especially in the United States, who says, "I’m concerned about police brutality here and just don't have the capacity to take on the Palestinian struggle"

DS: We all have a responsibility to educate ourselves to understand that police brutality here is just one local symptom of this US racial capitalist imperialist system that is international and has violent ramifications the world over. Dr. Martin Luther King’s statement that “the greatest purveyor of violence in the world is my own government” is still the truth. The Zionist entity (Israel) is a US middle east settler colonial satellite apartheid state that has been committing genocide against the indigenous Palestinian population for 75 years, funded and supported by our tax dollars. The US empire is at the head of an international structure of violent oppression of the majority of the worlds’ people. The only way we can be victorious is to internationalize our struggle and be in solidarity with the struggle of other oppressed communities. The issue of being educated and being on the side of justice is not always easy because the first line of attack by US imperialism is the ideological arena or the battle of ideas and morals. The empire relies on constantly gaslighting and falsifying history in order to manufacture consent and gain complicity by the masses towards its objectives. It also relies on public sanction, threatening and condemning people who do speak the truth.

AWB: Talk about the primary contradictions or misunderstandings that the African Christian Zionist in the US has about Palestine and the State of Israel.

DS: The primary confusion lies in conflating biblical Israel of the old testament with the relatively new (since 1948) settler colonial state of Israel which is occupied Palestine. In reality the two have nothing to do with each other. The confusion is also rooted in the myth that Jews controlling Israel will somehow facilitate the second coming of Jesus thereby bringing salvation to Christians.

AWB: In your latest BAR op-ed, you talked about Nasser leading the Casablanca group of African countries in 1961 which supported Palestinian rights and condemning Israel. Talk about what became of that concept and if you see signs or hope of that effort being revived in Africa?

DS: Well, the struggle between the Casa Blanca group on one hand vs Monrovia and Brazzaville groups on the other, represented a big class struggle between the progressive revolutionary countries wanting total independence and the countries that wanted to remain neo-colonial. That class struggle still exists but in a different form. Now neo colonial governments have near complete dominance of the continent, there are only at best a few progressive governments. But change is constant, and there are some encouraging signs in that there are some left, progressive Pan-Africanist, socialist and communist parties and movements emerging that are challenging the dominant narrative. Even a neo-colonial government like the one in South Africa is insisting that at least Israel should not get observer status at the AU.

AWB: For those who do see Palestinian liberation being linked to African liberation, how best can one contribute to both?

DS: The best way to make contributions to both is via organizations; that is to join an organization that has revolutionary internationalism/ Pan-Africanism as a core principle and demonstrates this through its work. If one organization doesn’t totally satisfy this, one can always support or join an additional one.

News and Analysis

The Black Alliance for Peace Condemns the Murderous Assault on Occupied Palestine

October 11, 2023 by Black Alliance for Peace

The Black Alliance for Peace stands in solidarity with the people of Gaza and all Palestinians under occupation in the racist, apartheid settler state of Israel. We recognize the right of Palestine to exist and the right of the Palestinian people to resist occupation. We call on African/Black people to remember our long tradition of solidarity with Palestine.

The A-APRP Condemns Attack on the PAIGC

December 7, 2023 by All African People’s Revolutionary Party

We call on all revolutionary Pan-Africanist, anti-imperialist and progressive forces to stand in solidarity with the PAIGC, PAI Terra Ranka Coalition and the heroic people of Guinea Bissau who chose once again the path of progress over the neo-colonialist reactionaries and their foreign counter-revolutionary imperialist backers. We will not let their victory be stolen.

Populist Trends or Revolutionary Pan-Africanism?

November 30, 2023 by Kinuthia Ndungu & Nicholas Mwangi

The African continent is witnessing the dynamic movement of leaders who deliver passionate speeches, captivating the youth and the diaspora. However, beneath this energetic facade lies a challenge – the rise of pseudo-populist Pan-Africanism that regurgitates empty rhetoric. This practice has also extended among African presidents who are now becoming overnight celebrities around the world with short YouTube videos going viral.

Kenya’s Intervention in Haiti: An Interrogation of Impetus, Objectives, and Consequences

November 21, 2023 by Haitian Studies Association

This panel is a dialogue between Haitian and Kenyan internationalists about the implications of a Kenya-led military intervention in Haiti. It features Jemima Pierre, Professor of Global Race at the University of British Columbia (Canada) and Haiti/Americas Team-Coordinator for Black Alliance for Peace (U.S.); Georges Eddy Lucien, Professor of History and Geography at the Université d’Etat d’Haiti (Haiti); Willy Mutunga, retired Professor of Law at the University of Nairobi, former Chief Justice of Kenya, and former President of the Supreme Court (Kenya); and Boniface Mwangi, renowned photo-journalist activist (Kenya).

Why Africans / Black Folks Should Oppose Zionism: Some Aspects of a Racist Imperialist Ideology in Africa and the Americas

November 15, 2023 by Djibo Sobukwe

Colonized people must be in solidarity with the oppressed and by definition, that means being anti-zionist. Political Zionism is a racist ethno-nationalist imperialist ideology and movement founded in the late 19th century that mis-uses Judaism to justify the settler colonial occupation of Palestinian land as a state reserved only for Jews. Christian Zionism, which actually preceded political Zionism, is the belief that the biblical land of Israel should be controlled by Jews thereby ensuring the second return of Jesus which will bring salvation to Christians.

Pan-African Masquerade: William Ruto with the Mask Off

September 27, 2023 by Larmbert Ebitu

With recent credible reports suggesting that the UK’s MI6 and the US’s CIA are plotting to eliminate African leaders seen as aligned with Russia, one cannot rule out their weaponizing puppets like Ruto to do their bidding. Africans must start calling out Ruto, if only to expose the neocolonial puppet behind the mask masquerading as a pan-African.

If you are interested in getting more directly involved in the fight to liberate Africa, please consider joining the U.S. Out of Africa Network.

No compromise, no retreat,

BAP’s U.S. Out of Africa Network

P.S. Freedom isn’t free. We are doing this work with no full-time staff and no big foundation support. Consider giving today.

Banner photo: Two demonstrators standing side by side with one holding Palestine flag and other holding DR Congo flag (courtesy social media).

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin #48

Is the West losing their grip on Africa? Africans around the world are rising against neocolonialism and asserting their right to sovereignty and self-determination. Across the Sahel, the African masses have taken to the streets, calling for French troops to leave their lands. BAP not only emphasizes the importance of the liberation of “Francophone Africa” but advocates for the U.S. and NATO to exit Africa. 

From the highly militarized U.S. presence through AFRICOM and CIA bases in Niger and throughout other Sahelian states such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad, etc, we cannot forget to include them as the hegemonic head of neocolonialism in Africa. 

Through this International Month of Action Against AFRICOM, we aim to express our support for the aspirations of the people in the streets and call for the ejection of all Western forces, including AFRICOM and NATO, from the African Continent.

U.S. Out of Africa: Voices from the Struggle

There is a great deal of both excitement and uncertainty about the anti-imperialist sentiment spreading in the Sahel region of Africa which includes mostly former French colonies of Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. The anti-imperialist element is exciting for many of us while the direction of those military leaders is uncertain. Since 2008, 15 U.S.-trained officers have had a hand in 12 West African coups.

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin speaks with Rafiki Morris, an organizer and Central Committee Member of the All African People's Revolutionary Party (A-APRP) about these issues. The A-APRP also recently helped to organize a rally outside of the French Embassy to protest the proposed military intervention in Niger.

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin: As the A-APRP noted, of 106 coup d'etats in Africa since 1950, 103 have been of a reactionary nature with only exceptions being Naser in Egypt, Gaddafi in Libya and Sankara in Burkina Faso. Do you think this current wave will be closer to what has been the exception or the rule, and on what basis?

Rafiki Morris: First we would like to thank you for this opportunity to look more closely at what is happening to African People both at home and abroad. When we do this we get a chance to see the true dimension of imperialism and its assault upon African People and humanity in general.  

We look into the happenings in West Africa in the context of the worldwide struggle being waged by African People to be free of capitalism and imperialism.  For us the movement must advance. Revolutionary coups in Africa advances the African Revolution. To have three, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso in this short period of time would be a miracle with far reaching implications. But if even one of these coups turns out to be of the caliber of the revolution led by Nassar, Gaddafi or Sankara, we will mark it as a major victory of the masses of the people over imperialism and for Pan-Africanism.

In the case of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, their progressive contribution is cemented by their common commitment to get the French Out of Africa. This uncompromising stand taken by the People themselves ensures that these militaries move in a positive direction..

The Soldiers assumed power during a time when emerging Pan-African sentiments were sweeping around the globe. This wave of Pan-African consciousness has a dual nature. First it is the introduction of Pan-African Thought to a new generation of people. It is also an opportunity for potential misleaders to carve out a place for themselves in the fast approaching new dispensation. We must look upon this new pan-Africanist awareness with a critical eye. History teaches that wolves often dress as lambs, charlatans dress as saviors and monsters present as messiahs.

AWB: Can the role of ECOWAS, and even Kenya in Haiti, help advance the political education of the masses around neo-colonialism or as some say, “imperialism in Black Face”?

RM: Yes we can use these events as examples to explain neo-colonialism. However, our political education must go further.  We have to teach the truth. Every place on earth that has an African population and is not liberated is neo-colonialist. Neo-colonialism unites our external enemy with the internal enemy. In a particular way we define the enemy as a single entity with internal and external aspects. Capitalism and imperialism cannot survive without their junior partners with “Black Faces.” The reactionary Black puppets that rule us worldwide cannot survive without their capitalist imperialist senior partners.

One aspect which we should not overlook is the fact that these internal enemies have always been among the people. They are the unique creation of African culture and existed among us, causing mischief, long before the imperialist came to Africa’s shores. Failure to understand this reality leads to serious error of thinking the enemy is only the external invaders. During the struggle to end colonialism many Africans thought that all they had to do was get rid of the French, English, Portuguese or Belgians. After the Europeans were gone we found out that we had traded a white exploiter for black exploiter, who were in fact in league with the white we had thought to break away from. Understanding that the enemy sometimes looks just like you is a sign of political maturity.

But examples and explanations are only part of the process of political education. The other part, the most important part, is practice. Practice is the active involvement in the struggle against neo-colonialism. Without this action there is no real understanding. We were taught by our brother Kwame Ture that if you want to know something you have to get involved in it. Take swimming as an  example. You can have all the explanations and examples of swimming in the world, you can know the name of every stroke, every type of kick and all the techniques involved in floating. But you will never know how to swim if you do not get in the water. You will have a theory but no real knowledge. Real knowledge comes from applying the theory in practice. Fighting imperialism is an active resistance. Without this resistance you cannot really know neo-colonialism. Without practice you cannot defeat neo-colonialism.

AWB: How would you explain to Africans in Haiti or Southeast DC why they should care about the Sahel and how they can and should get involved?

RM: The struggle in Sahel, Haiti, the USA etc., are all frontlines of a worldwide conflict between African People and capitalist imperialism. The strategy is to fight the enemy wherever we find them. Everywhere they use their military/police to kill, incarcerate and destabilize African People and the movement we have built to pursue our liberation. The only solution to the ongoing assault is the unification of our fighting forces. We must develop coordinated political and military action. We tell our people that the struggle in Sahel, Haiti and the USA is one struggle against a common enemy. We must unite, not to live happily ever after or to fulfill some long held dream. We must unite to defeat our imperialist, neocolonialist, white supremacist, patriarchal enemy. We understand clearly, AFRICANS UNITED CAN NEVER BE DEFEATED.

News and Analysis

All Africans Should Condemn the Call for an ECOWAS-led Military Invasion of Niger

August 7, 2023 by Black Alliance for Peace Africa Team

The Africa Team of the Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) and the U.S. Out of Africa Network (USOAN) condemn the threats of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to lead a military intervention into Niger. We believe this would be an act of subservience to U.S./EU/NATO interests. As Western imperialism seems to be losing its neo-colonialist grip on Africa, it is trying to expand its use of puppets and proxies to undermine resistance.

Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso Sign Military Pact at Liptako-Gourma Borders Area

September 26, 2023 by Abayomi Azikiwe

As threats from France continue against the military governments in West Africa, the new heads of state view a unified approach as the only suitable response to imperialist aggression

Alliance of Sahel States

September 18, 2023 by Press TV

BAP Africa Team Co-Coordinator Netfa Freeman and Pan-African News Wire's Abayomi Azikiwe interview on Press TV's Spotlight talk about the Alliance of Sahel States

Under French-backed Military Ruler Mahamat Deby, Chad is a “Pressure Cooker Waiting to Explode”

September 23, 2023 by Pavan Kulkarni

While threatening war against Niger, ostensibly to restore democracy, France continues to back the military junta of Mahamat Deby which is accused of killing at least 128 pro-democracy protesters last year. However, anger against the junta and soaring anti-French sentiment threatens its military presence in the country

Revolution in Sahel? Military Coups in Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger 

August 7, 2023 by A-APRP (All-African People’s Revolutionary Party)

The All-African People’s Revolutionary Party expresses solidarity and harmony with the people of Niger, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Algeria, stands resolutely against the U.S., EU and ECOWAS sanctions, and rejects all attempts at military invasions by NATO member states or the ECOWAS body.

French Decision to Withdraw Troops from Niger is a Testimony “To the Determination and Will of the Nigerien people” 

September 25, 2023 by Pavan Kulkarni

After withdrawing from Mali and Burkina Faso, and now on the way out from Niger, Chad is the last of the now practically defunct G5 Sahel country to host a permanent base of France.

Statement on the Establishment of the Alliance of Sahel States

September 27, 2023 by Socialist Movement of Ghana

The Socialist Movement of Ghana salutes Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, on the adoption of the 16th of September 2023 Liptako-Gourma Charter, establishing l’Alliance des États du Sahel (“Alliance of Sahel States”). 

Not Just Coups: Meet the People’s Movements in the Streets of West Africa

October 2, 2023 by Rania Khalek Dispatches

Journalist Rania Khalek speaks with Kambala Musavuli, a Congolese activist, on the anti-colonial sentiments that have erupted throughout West Africa in recent months.

If you are interested in getting more directly involved in the fight to liberate Africa, please consider joining the U.S. Out of Africa Network. 

No compromise, no retreat,

BAP’s U.S. Out of Africa Network

P.S. Freedom isn’t free. We are doing this work with no full-time staff and no big foundation support. Consider giving today.

Banner photo: Niger army sergeant and artist Maman Sani Maigochi performs as supporters gather at Place de la Concertation in the capital Niamey {Courtesy AFP}

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin #46

Libya, once a prosperous and peaceful country, has been ravaged by a war between armed factions backed by regional and global players ever since the 2011 NATO-led invasion. The war and destruction have significantly destabilized the country, and armed groups now openly operate.

Countries seeking regional influence and aspiring to control Libyan oil have been exploiting political and ideological differences among the ruling elite in Libya, sowing the seeds for further division and chaos. The NATO-led invasion opened up space for countries such as the United States, France, Turkey, Egypt, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, among several others, to further their interests in the region through the Libyan conflict. However, this has come at the cost of common people.

To suppress dissent and to exploit vulnerable migrants, Libyan authorities have used various means, such as arbitrary detention, torture, rape, murder, enslavement, enforced disappearances and sexual slavery of women. The U.S./EU/NATO Axis of Domination has provided monetary and material aid to Libyan authorities and to armed militias, both of which have been responsible for widespread human-rights violations, including war crimes and crimes against humanity. This “new” scramble for Africa is causing widespread suffering for African people.

U.S. Out of Africa: Voices from the Struggle 

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin speaks with Essam Abdelrasul Bubaker Elkorghli, who is a Libyan Ph.D. student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he researches Libya’s modern history, state ideology and contemporary imperialism in education. He is part of the Global Pan-African Movement. 

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin: How does the U.S./NATO impose the need for U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) to intervene, like it did in Libya?

Essam Elkorghli: Understanding AFRICOM’s recent activities in Libya must be integrated in a broader understanding of the history of Libya and how the aftermath of NATO’s intervention in Libya enabled AFRICOM to infiltrate the country’s security apparatus. Libya’s military was destroyed by NATO and its regional allies, laying the groundwork for a weakened state that is dependent on foreign actors to conduct its security operations in the country. The destruction of Libya and its military in 2011 manufactured the need for more Western intervention. This form of imperialism results in the forced integration of the South with the North based on a relationship of dependency, and in this case, it is security dependency.

AWB: Who are the Libyans that invited AFRICOM to start its mission in Libya and what role did they play in the toppling of Muammar Qaddafi?

Elkorghli: AFRICOM partook in the destruction of Libya under the guise of NATO’s 2011 mission. However, as Security Council Resolution 1973 ended by the elimination of the regime, their operations stopped. Nonetheless, when the groups armed by NATO in 2011 started to claim territories, declare affiliation to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and inflict endless terror on the population, calls by the newly parachuted UN authority in Libya (Government of National Accord) for another foreign intervention started. AFRICOM launched its mission in Libya in August 2016 in the city of Sirte to help the GNA’s fight against local Islamic State elements. The GNA was not elected by Libyans, but their composition includes a large proportion of the people who fought against the former regime and are predominantly [members of the right-wing political group] Muslim Brotherhood.

AWB: The explanation given for the recent visit by William Burns, CIA chief, was “security issues.” Is that merely coded pretext for the expansion of AFRICOM or are there legitimate security concerns? And, if not via AFRICOM, how do you envision those concerns being addressed? 

Elkorghli: UN estimates that there are 20,000 foreign mercenaries in Libya. These foreign groups are tied to nation states and are not clandestine militias, as the AFRICOM purports. The recent visit by the head of the CIA to Libya was largely driven by the fact that there is an adversarial group in Libya that must be combatted, which is the private [Russian] military, Wagner Group. The visit comes merely two days after that very group defeated NATO-backed troops in the strategic city of Soledar in Ukraine. The fact that a private military group defeated NATO and its allies in Ukraine is the security issue for the CIA because the group and its operations in the Sahel is materializing more fortuitous results than [the] French or AFRICOM presence in the region. In other words, wherever AFRICOM and French troops existed, there is an expansion of terror activities. The group’s presence is presumably a security issue for AFRICOM, especially following their role in the Ukraine war.

AWB: Regarding the airstrikes that killed 11 Libyan civilians, is it your sense that AFRICOM is indifferent or that it is actually intentional. And, if intentional, what would be their ultimate objective?

Elkorghli: AFRICOM’s operations did not end with the objective of eliminating terrorist elements in the city of Sirte in 2016. They continued their operations to our very day. This has had consequential reverberations on the social fabric of Libyan society. AFRICOM collaborates with GNA (and currently Government of National Unity, formed in 2021 with the aim of unifying the GNA with the rival Tobruk-based government) to target marginalized groups in the south, who have been deprived of social services and access to health care and education. The Tebu and Tuareg tribes in the south have been framed to aid in terror activities, which legitimizes the excessive use of violence against the civilian population. The killing of 11 civilians under the pretext of terrorism shows the level of impunity these military operations enjoy, especially when the local government lacks popular legitimacy and their reign is largely guarded by how the West grants them legitimacy. These airstrikes should be viewed from the forced integration of Libya with AFRICOM’s security apparatus, which renders Libya a security dependent state.

AWB: There are clearly multiple groups/factions on the ground in Libya, all with their own agendas. Is there a constructive role for the African Union (AU) to play in the process of rebuilding Libya?

Elkorghli: The AU’s involvement since 2011 has been circumscribed by NATO and its allies. In 2011, the AU was barred from traveling to Libya and was threatened by NATO that Libyan airspace should not be approached—ironic how African airspace is controlled by NATO. The AU also saw that successive Libyan governments parachuted by the UN were not interested in the former regime’s orientation of integrating Libya with Africa. This has resulted in limited engagement with the AU, which is reciprocated by the AU’s divided attention on Libya. However, given that the AU has not proliferated the destruction of Libya, always called for genuine peaceful solutions to conflicts between different groups, and consistently called for de-escalation, they do have a role in the reconstruction of Libya. If a group of influential African states (for example, South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Algeria and Ghana, to name a few) could consolidate their efforts to conjure a plan for Libyan factions to meet in Libya for a Libyan-Libyan dialogue, this would sideline any efforts for the U.S./EU to select a few elites and reproduce the same results that the [United Nations Support Mission in Libya] UNSMIL has driven.

AWB: How can Africans worldwide, particularly those of us who espouse a Pan-Africanist perspective, best act in solidarity with the masses of Libyan people?

Elkorghli: There are a select few actors in Libya who have garnered international legitimacy by being subservient to the interests of the U.S./EU/NATO and transnational capital. These state actors do not represent the Libyan masses. The Libyans masses long for a dignified life, sovereign land and control of [their] resources. The history and fate of Libya is linked directly to the fate and history of the rest of Africa, whether through anti-colonial struggles or through the re-emergence of neocolonial interests, where the African continent has become NATO’s southern neighborhood. As Pan-Africanists, we should understand the malign and divisive interests of the West in further plundering Africa; we must act in unison against the neocolonial onslaught against Africa and its people; we must oppose the current trajectory of increased militarization (except in self-defense); silence the guns; and understand that our struggles are one—sovereignty over our lands, seas and air.

NEWS AND ANALYSIS

Gerald Horne on Sudan: Almost 100 Dead in Fighting Between Army and Paramilitary Forces & role of US

April 17, 2023 by The Critical Hour

Dr. Gerald Horne, Professor of History at the University of Houston, author, historian, and researcher, on The Critical Hour, discussing Sudan: Almost 100 Dead in Fighting Between Army and Paramilitary Forces & role of U.S.

As Army and Rapid Support Forces battle it out, Sudanese left calls for restoring the revolution

April 15, 2023 by Pavan Kulkarni of Peoples Dispatch

The Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have begun fighting each other. The root of the conflict lies in disagreements over integrating the paramilitary into the army. The Sudanese left has noted that both parties seek to escalate armed conflict, so that it can be used as a reason to not hand over power to civilian forces.

Life or Debt: The Stranglehold of Neocolonialism and Africa’s Search for Alternatives

April 11, 2023 by Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research

The International Finance Institutions—mainly the IMF—exacerbate the poverty brought on by colonialism and transform it into a permanent debt crisis. This dossier explores that topic and moves into a deeper assessment of the contradictions of sovereign debt on the African continent. 

Debunking the U.S.-led Hypocrisy Summit

April 11, 2023 by WPFW 89.3 FM - Voices With Vision

Imani Umoja of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) and the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party, as well as a member of the Steering Committee of BAP's U.S. Out of Africa Network, spoke about the U.S.-led Democracy Summit held in Zambia, March 28-30. The conversation was preceded by comments by Dr. Fred M’membe, president of the Socialist Party in Zambia, about that conference and U.S. imperialist arrogance.

AFRICOM: Securing African or U.S. interests?

April 5, 2023 by African Stream

The United States Africa Command—or AFRICOM—was founded in 2007. But it has failed to bring peace and security. Major failures in Somalia, Libya and elsewhere have left many Africans suspecting it exists only to serve U.S. interests.

The long arm of Washington extends into Africa’s Sahel

March 25, 2023 translation by Vijay Prashad

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Niger and its offer of $150 million do not hide that its main interest lies in security cooperation.

Israel’s Humiliating Expulsion from AU Summit Exposes Its Failed Diplomacy in Africa

March 22, 2023 by Ramzy Baroud 

The removal of Israel’s Observer Status in the African Union reflects the broader trend of geopolitical spaces opening up for countries in the Global South and the increasing challenge to the hegemony of former colonial powers.

Libya Hearing: International People's Tribunal on US Imperialism

March 10, 2023 by 

The sanctions as one of the key tools of U.S. imperialism. In order to uncover the depth and breadth of U.S. imperialism, we will determine the impact of sanctions on various aspects of life, with a focus on social, political, economic, and ecological issues.

If you are interested in getting more directly involved in the fight to liberate Africa, please consider joining the U.S. Out of Africa Network. 

No compromise, no retreat,

BAP’s U.S. Out of Africa Network

P.S. Freedom isn’t free. We are doing this work with no full-time staff and no big foundation support. Consider giving today.

Banner photo: Libyan security forces affiliated with Tripoli-based interim Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah in the northwestern city of Misrata (Courtesy AFP)

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin #45

Nigeria has imperial and neocolonial trappings it must acknowledge and vehemently reject. This includes surrendering decision making about financial and credit facilities or political organization to the West, which has a significant impact on the actions of those who take political office in the country. The United States is an imperial power that operates through its neo-colonial subjects and its control over imperialist structures, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, as well as through its control over the politicians in office.

Nigerian sovereignty is reduced to mere “flag independence” because of U.S. external-policy interference and economic control. This allows the space for Nigerian elites to engage in wrongdoing—whether by corruption, nepotism or human-rights abuses. We must contextualize these instances in terms of how Western corporations and governments often enable (and encourage) such actions to preserve lucrative economic arrangements.

General elections will be held in Nigeria on February 25 to elect the president and vice president, as well as members of the Senate and House of Representatives. These elections will take place amid an unprecedented state of general crisis. Any politician or party coming into power will have to contend with an ongoing capitalist crisis. The response of any neo-colonial government is likely to  be to tighten fiscal consolidation on behalf of big business. The Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) and its U.S. Out of Africa Network (USOAN) must support the antithesis of neo-colonial governance, which are self-determination and bottom-up, participatory democratic processes.

NEWS AND ANALYSIS

Africans’ Message to Imperialism: “We Are Not Your Flunkies!”

March 1, 2023 by Mark P. Fancher

South Africa's participation in military drills with Russia and China is an indication that the global south are not taking orders from Washington. African nations should continue their tradition as non-aligned states.

The international politics of observing elections, By Owei Lakemfa

March 4, 2023 by Owei Lakemfa

Why would numerous observers travel from across the world to observe Nigeria elections - as guardians of democracy?

Uncertainty in Nigeria as Cash, Fuel Shortages Bite Ahead of Vote

February 10, 2023 by AFP

With under three weeks to go until Nigeria's presidential elections, major shortages of cash and fuel have plunged Africa's most populous country into crisis. As well as provoking outrage among ordinary people, the shortages threaten to upend the February 25 presidential poll, while throwing its organization into doubt.

United States’ Pursuit of Imperial Military Base in Northern Somalia Fuels Brutal War

February 8, 2023 by Jamal Abdulahi 

The history of European colonialism and the endless U.S. desire for a military presence strengthen a Somalia secessionist movement and warfare that most people in that country do not want.

“Whoever wins we must continue to fight”—Nigeria’s coming election

February 7, 2023 by ROAPE (Review of African Political Economy)

ROAPE speaks to Nigerian socialist and activist, Alex Batubo, about the elections this month, and the political and economic situation in the country. Batubo focuses on the struggle of labor, and the possibilities of a radical alternative emerging from the challenges (and opportunities) of the present.

The US Seeks Libyan Elections that Will Enshrine the Fait Accompli

February 7, 2023 translation by Internationalist 360°

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken joined the chorus of delusionists who believe that there is indeed a possibility of organizing an electoral entitlement in light of current contradictions that dominate the scene.

The US is trying to expel Russian mercenaries from Sudan and Libya

February 3, 2023 by The Bharat Express News

The Biden administration has been working for months with regional powers Egypt and the United Arab Emirates to pressure military leaders in Sudan and Libya to end their ties with the Wagner Group.

Nigerian Politics: Past, Present, and Future

November 14, 2022 by Forward Ever Podcast

In this episode, the podcast interviews an activist in Nigeria about the political history that continues to shape what is referred to as Naija, the vernacular term for Nigeria. Some parts of the interview contain low or unclear audio because of poor connection. “[These are] some of the issues when interviewing others on the ground in developing nations, but we hope the overall interview can shed light on contemporary and historical Nigerian politics.”

If you are interested in getting more directly involved in the fight to liberate Africa, please consider joining the U.S. Out of Africa Network. 

No compromise, no retreat,

BAP’s U.S. Out of Africa Network

P.S. Freedom isn’t free. We are doing this work with no full-time staff and no big-foundation support. Consider giving today.

Banner photo: African troops in a boat of the coast of West Africa participating in Obangame Express 2023 exercises (courtesy AFRICOM Twitter.)

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin #44

The United Nations recently held the first session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent in Geneva, Switzerland. From December 5-8, more than 600 delegates from UN member states, UN structures, and civil society took the floor to call for global recourse and the institutional protection of human rights for Africans all over the world.

Established in August 2021, during the 7th year of the UN International Decade for People of African Descent—spanning 2015 to 2024—the Permanent Forum will act as an advisory body to the UN Human Rights Council. The UN General Assembly declared the Forum also will serve as “a consultative mechanism for people of African descent and other relevant stakeholders” and “platform for improving the safety and quality of life and livelihoods of people of African descent.”

The convening consisted of international and virtual pre-events and side events that discussed the human rights situation of Africans on the continent, as well as Africans in Europe, and what we call “Nuestra América,” the landmass encompassing what is now known as Canada to the tip of Chile. Representatives from the Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) and BAP’s U.S. Out of Africa Network (USOAN) attended the December convening to:

• engage in political struggles around the establishment of this forum—which are discussed in this month’s interview;

• reach out to and build international structures (significant numbers of folks from the global South were in attendance); and 

• focus on issues of militarization and its impact on African people.

BAP and the USOAN emphasize the increased militarization of the African continent and Nuestra América, as well as its implications for resistance efforts by local communities and activists, as a key part of the war on African people. We seek to build the mass movement necessary to defeat it.

U.S. Out of Africa: Voices from the Struggle 

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin speaks with Mama Efia Nwangaza, who is the Founder/Director of the Malcolm X Center for Self Determination, member of the Black Belt Human Rights Coalition Criminal Punishment System Sub-Committee as well as the Black Alliance for Peace, and a veteran of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC):

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin: What are your thoughts on the Permanent Forum?

Efia Nwangaza: The Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, December 5-8, 2022, Geneva, is the United States’ and other European countries’—former colonizers and enslavers—effort to control today's Bandung-like global reparations-centered freedom movement, as evidenced by the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA). The Forum, as presently constituted, is a mechanism designed to waylay, blunt and bury the DDPA with hand-picked gatekeepers and the racist slur of “anti-semitism.”

In Durban, South Africa, the world—meaning governments and civil society—reached a consensus and issued the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA). The world declared colonialism, slavery, apartheid, and genocide crimes against humanity, without statute of limitations and [with] a basis for reparations.

In 2001, the United States, led by then-Secretary of State Colin Powell, walked out of the Durban World Conference Against Racism. The U.S. and other European countries—former colonizers—worked to prevent the global consensus that was reached and, having failed, continue to work to undermine and bury it.

AWB: Who are the main players in the Permanent Forum?

EN: The Forum is composed of 10 members; five nominated by states and five by the president of the Human Rights Council, “in consultation with civil society.” Here, “civil society” is not limited to people of African descent, as is the case with the members of the [United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues].

While the U.S. described how it pressured governments to vote for its pick, Justin Hanford, little or nothing else is known about the rest's appointment. It is located in Geneva, in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), instead of  the more accessible New York, under the more appropriate Economic and Social Council.

The chair, Epsy Campbell-Barr, is a former vice president of Costa Rica, one of the world's smallest countries and [containing] an even smaller number of people of African descent; little more than 400,000. The vice chair is Alice Ange'le Nkom of Cameroon. She is the first woman admitted to practice law in Cameroon and is president of the Cameroonian Association for Defence of Homosexuality, co-chairperson of the Central Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, and a member of the National Democratic Institute International Working Group. The rapporteur [an independent human rights expert whose expertise is called upon by the United Nations to report or advise on human rights from a thematic or country-specific perspective] is Michael McEachrane, of Sweden, who calls himself a “mixed race, academic and activist.” As of 2016, there were 110,758 citizens of African nations residing in Sweden.  

Justin Hansford, U.S. member/Pan-Euro representative is director of the Howard University Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center. He, like Clarence Thomas, enjoys the good will that comes from the use of Thurgood Marshall's name. Hansford, presenting himself as a Black “liberator,” dismissed the DDPA saying, “I was 16 years old when it was written.” He reportedly “believes he can get a better deal;” apparently under the ruse of “Sustainable Development Goals.”

AWB: What were your contributions to the convening?

EN: I publicly reprimanded Justin Hansford for trying to gaslight me and others when the chair attempted to refuse to take floor responses to McEachrane's attempt to limit DDPA relevance in his “interim” summary of the Forum's future work. “The DDPA will be applied to the extent it applies to people of African descent,” he said. His opening statement is attached.

I challenged Forum participants—in-person and virtually,—to read the DDPA.  Admonished them to not let fancy, obscure language, lack of information, age, experience, and a short-term promise (Sustainable Development Goals [SDG]) of an immediate bowl of porridge cause us to betray our peoples. All were challenged to fully claim, affirm, and assert the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action as our human right of self-determination.

I reminded them, “The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action is the heart and soul of this Forum, without the DDPA this is nothing more than a free trip and a talk fest. The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action is our lifeline and that of generations unborn. HOLD ON TO IT—BLACK POWER! BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL! BLACK POWER! BLACK POWER to BLACK PEOPLE!!! ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!” The crowd roared and gave two standing ovations. Black Power and the call for fidelity to the DDPA rang out throughout the remaining days.

AWB: Thank you for your insights and analysis!

You can hear more about the Permanent Forum from Mama Efia and other advocates who attended the first session in Geneva during a webinar titled, The African Diaspora Convenes on the World Stage & Calls for Reparatory Justice, hosted by The Human Rights Cities Alliance, on Thursday, January 19 at 6:30 p.m. (EST) / 3:30 p.m. (Pacific).

News and Analysis

White House Summit With African Leaders Results in Empty Promises

December 20, 2022 by Abayomi Azikiwe

A $55 billion package from the United States cannot regain ground lost to China and Russia on the continent and criticisms among the people and those in government are growing over the role of AFRICOM and occupying French military forces.

Episode 178: Onwards to Multipolarity

January 11, 2023 by CODEPINK Radio

From our unipolar world under U.S. hegemony, transition to multipolarity is inevitable and ensures the greatest chance for peace. In this episode, we hear about the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) from Sylvie Ndongmo, Brother Imani Umoja, Dr. Gnaka Lagoke, and Colonel Ann Wright.

U.S. Airstrikes in Somalia Increased By 30% in 2022

January 8, 2023 by Dave DeCamp

In 2022, Biden ordered the deployment of up to 500 troops in Somalia and stepped up airstrikes as the U.S.-backed Mogadishu-based government began an offensive against al-Shabaab.

The Hope of a Pan-African-Owned and Controlled Electric Car Project Is Buried for Generations to Come: The Fifty-Second Newsletter 

December 29, 2022 by Vijay Prashad

The United States government held the US-Africa Leaders Summit in mid-December, prompted in large part by its fears about Chinese and Russian influence on the African continent.

The Hidden Truth Behind AFRICOM – US Africa Command 

December 22, 2022 by Lee Camp

Under AFRICOM—a program that the Pentagon will barely even admit exists—the U.S. military is involved in assassinations, bombings, torture, surveillance, the killing of civilians, blowback deaths of U.S. soldiers and—of course—cover-ups.

Why One Organization Dubbed the U.S.-Africa Summit the ‘Meeting of Uncle Tom and Uncle Sam’

December 20, 2022 by Julie Varughese

The U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit was clearly set up to obscure the real U.S. role in Africa and give legitimacy to the continuing U.S. plunder of African resources, exploitation of African people and military domination of the African continent.

U.S. & Europe Want to Make Africa Cold War Battleground Against Russia & China w/ Mikaela Nhondo Erskog 

November 30, 2022 by Rania Khalek’s Dispatches

The United States and Europe have labeled Africa as NATO’s “Southern Neighborhood” and are using AFRICOM as a mechanism to control the continent under the guise of protecting it from “malign” Chinese and Russian influence.

If you are interested in getting more directly involved in the fight to liberate Africa, please consider joining the U.S. Out of Africa Network. 

No compromise, no retreat,

BAP’s U.S. Out of Africa Network

P.S. Freedom isn’t free. We are doing this work with no full time staff and no big foundation support. Consider giving today.

Banner photo: Jan. 8, 2023 ceremony where U.S. presented $9 million in military supplies to the Somali National Army (courtesy AFRICOM Facebook page.)

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin #43

The U.S./EU/NATO Axis of Domination that props up the white supremacist, colonial/capitalist project that began in 1492 is a primary enemy of African people. Effective opposition to the Axis of Domination requires bold, independent, and revolutionary action on the part of African people, the other oppressed nations in the U.S., and the working class as a whole. The organization of the workers and oppressed in the U.S. must be carried out in conjunction with the revolutionary and national democratic forces in operation around the globe. Also, Africa is central to the struggle against imperialism since its origins stem from the advent of the Atlantic slave trade, colonialism, and neo-colonialism.

What is needed are bottom-up, popular struggles which programmatically target neocolonial leadership that allow the U.S./EU/NATO Axis of Domination to oppress our people. In the U.S., for example, this leadership has consistently backed the white ruling class agenda of subversion and military intervention, from its support for the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) to its failure to oppose the Department of Defense’s 1033 program, responsible for transferring millions of dollars-worth of military equipment to local police forces that are then deployed against poor working class Black and Brown communities.

The Black Alliance for Peace and the U.S. Out of Africa Network organized a Month of Action Against AFRICOM to support the development of a mass movement to oppose the U.S./EU/NATO Axis of Domination. We must join with other genuinely progressive and revolutionary forces throughout the world to proclaim that Pan-Africanism and Proletarian Internationalism is the only real solution to the monumental social and economic problems engendered by capitalism and imperialism. Contribute to BAP’s Fall Fundraising Drive or become a monthly sustainer—because freedom isn’t free and the oppressors won’t fund our liberation. We must rely on you, the people. 

U.S. Out of Africa: Voices from the Struggle 

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin speaks with Ezra Otieno, who is a revolutionary organizer and a member of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Socialist League in Kenya.

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin: What is the impact of AFRICOM on the security situation on the African continent and Kenya in particular?

Ezra Otieno: Insecurity on the African continent has increased exponentially during the years that the U.S. has been building its network of bases through AFRICOM. Billions of dollars in security assistance are being used to do so. For example, the Kenyan army is being funded by the U.S. Army to wage war in Somalia as a proxy. The majority of the people in the country do not even want the army there. But the army is there because they are being supported by imperialist U.S. power. A lot of soldiers are dying in a war that is not theirs.

In 2017, there was an attack on a Kenyan base which killed over 100 soldiers. Many Somali civilians are being killed by the army there which is being funded by the U.S. There are at least 25 military Islamist groups that have been recorded on the continent, which is up from around 5 before AFRICOM was formed. This is a very significant increase that has resulted in violence against African people. Three thousand violent events are recorded each year, and it's on the increase. For example, in Kenya, since AFRICOM was formed, there have been a lot of attacks by these militant extremist groups. In Nairobi, there was the Westgate attack, which killed, reportedly at least over 70 people. There was an attack at Garissa University which killed over 150 students. There was an attack on DusitD2 Hotel, which killed dozens of people. There are attacks on buses where people are traveling. And I'm talking of Kenya alone. The atrocities that are being committed here are very, very bad, and we cannot allow this to continue.

AWB: How does AFRICOM impact people’s struggles and the goal of African unity?

Otieno: Many people on the African continent are not informed regarding AFRICOM. The people are being kept in the dark because the details of the deals that are signed by the government with the United States are being kept away from the people. People do not know what is going on. They just have a vague idea.

Neo-colonialism seeks to fragment Africa and weaken the African state institutions, and prevent African unity and the sovereignty of the people. They want us to be their subordinates. With Pan-Africanism, we are seeking the political unity and territorial sovereignty of the African people. The enduring presence of foreign military bases, not only symbolizes the lack of unity and sovereignty, it equally enforces the fragmentation and subordination of the African people and governments.

It is our duty as progressive people, wherever we are across the world, to use Pan-Africanism as an ideology to unify Black people all over, because we believe that we can achieve this by coming together as a people, having one system of government that works for the people, and one army for the African people, an All-African People's Revolutionary Army, that will protect the interests of the African people. We cannot have foreign powers dictating to us and having military bases on the African continent. There's no African state that has a military base outside of Africa.

We should push for African unity all over the world, and we should push to shut down AFRICOM, because if we don't do that, even the Pan-African unity that we seek will just be a mirage.

AWB: Thank you for your insights and analysis!

News and Analysis

AFRICOM Says 17 al-Shabaab Killed in Latest US Airstrike in Somalia

November 13, 2022 by Dave DeCamp

The strike was the second of the month in Somalia reported by AFRICOM. There’s little accountability for US operations in Somalia since the airstrikes receive little coverage in the Western press despite the high casualty rates being reported by AFRICOM.

Who’s really behind Burkina Faso’s coup?

November 8, 2022 by TJ Coles

Western media fixates on coup supporters waving Russian flags in Burkina Faso’s capital while overlooking the long history of US and French control over the country – and its destabilizing consequences.

New World Coming: Working-class Pan-Africanism

November 5, 2022 by The People’s Forum 

Mikaela Nhondo Erskog and James Counts Early discuss the historical legacy of African national liberation and socialist projects, how that legacy is relevant to struggles today, and how popular movements are rebuilding the capacity to fight for alternatives to neoliberal capitalism. 

Africa Does Not Want to Be a Breeding Ground for the New Cold War

November 3, 2022 by Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research

The African Union firmly rejected the coercive efforts of the US and Western countries to use the continent as a pawn in their geopolitical agenda.

Pantsula Podcast Ep. 88: AFRICOM & "U.S. Democracy"

October 31, 2022 by Kaji Circle A-APRP

On this episode of the Pantsula Podcast, All-African People's Revolutionary Party organizers Winfred and Sadiq discuss AFRICOM and misconceptions around "U.S. democracy."

Neo-Colonialism, International Finance Capital and the Necessity of Pan-African Sovereignty

October 28, 2022 by Abayomi Azikiwe

African Union member-states are facing a critical conjuncture as the looming threats of global conflict against imperialism threatens world peace.

If you are interested in getting more directly involved in the fight to liberate Africa, please consider joining the U.S. Out of Africa Network. 

P.S. Freedom isn’t free. We are doing this work with no full time staff and no big foundation support. Consider giving today.

Banner Photo: AFRICOM Commander Gen. Michael Langley, addressing African soldiers standing at attention in Air Base 201 in Niger (courtesy @USAfricaCommand)

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin #42

The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has worsened the security situation in the Sahel through its many exploits on the African continent. During the dismembering of Libya, captured Libyan arms had been deployed to various armed groups including al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb. The result is enhanced military capacities of Boko Haram in Nigeria, civil war in Mali and destabilization and armed conflict in Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, as well as many coups by officers trained by AFRICOM.

The most recent coup took place on the night of September 29 to 30, 2022, when the populations of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso were once again surprised by heavy and light weapon fire. Later, precisely at the end of the evening of Friday, September 30, a declaration was read on national television by young officers led by Captain Ibrahim Traore announcing the dismissal of President Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba from the Presidency of the Patriotic Movement for the Safeguarding and Restoration (MPSR) and the Presidency of Burkina Faso. Just as in January 2022, the perpetrators of the new coup, also members of the MPSR of Damiba, justify their act by the failure in the fight against terrorism of their predecessor, his incompetence, the deviation from their initial objectives and the persistence of corruption.

As AFRICOM’s prescence and activity across the continent has grown, so has the terrorism it is meant to curb. Power vacuums caused by U.S. military intervention fortify the political will and strength of terrorist groups. Terrorist activity doubled from 2012 to 2018, and the number of countries experiencing attacks increased by 960 percent during that time period. Moreover, there was a ten-fold increase in violent events, jumping from 288 incidents in 2009 to 3,050 in 2018. By all metrics, the war on terror has been an abysmal failure in Africa. The one thing AFRICOM has dramatically succeeded at is boosting corporate profits associated with the lucrative counterterrorism industry that the war on terror has made possible.

In opposition to this criminal effort, the Black Alliance for Peace and U.S. Out of Africa Network has organized the ongoing International Month of Action Against AFRICOM to demand the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from Africa and the closure of U.S. bases throughout the world. Please join us in this effort by taking action using this toolkit. 

U.S. Out of Africa: Voices from the Struggle

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin speaks with Ameth Lô, who is a member of the Group for Research and Initiatives for the Liberation of Africa in Toronto, Canada.

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin: What should we think about the recent coup in Burkina Faso?

Ameth Lô: This umpteenth coup d'etat is the result of the decay of the national army made up today of clans preoccupied with business and the management of power. On the strength of the observation of the numerous untimely interventions of the army in national political life, we believe that it must urgently return to the barracks and stick to its sovereign role of defense of the national territory, in a word, to be a republican army.

AWB: How does this coup relate to imperialist domination?

Lô: The coup of September 30, 2022, with the announcement of France's involvement to support the ousted president, enjoyed popular support. I salute the clear expression of the anti-imperialist sentiment of the Burkinabe people, in particular of its youth. However, on this question of imperialist domination, we believe that it is not a question of leaving a given imperialist bosom to put oneself under the thumb of another imperialism. That said, what matters is the diversification of partnerships, while respecting national sovereignty.

AWB: What do you think about the coup leader?

Lô: The declarations of Captain Ibrahim Traore speaking of "unfortunate political adventures,” of “the continuous deterioration of the security situation," of "restoration by forces of an old order," amply confirm his analyses on the governance of the MPSR under Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henry Sandaogo Damiba. You will remember that the latter, instead of the assessment of his action that he had promised for September 4, 2022, had indulged in insults uttered against the people of Burkina Faso.

AWB: How can we strengthen the class struggle on the African continent?

Lô: It is imperative for both socialists and pan-Africanists to reconnect with the traditions of radical struggle on a transnational level for the emergence of a new society. We need to reconnect with viable forms of transnational solidarity in order to promote the class struggle of oppressed layers of the population. This course requires that the Eurocentric Left recognize that deep-going shifts in the international relationship of forces will involve a lowering of the standard of living in the richest countries. These living conditions have been made possible only through the systematic pillage of resources from the countries of the South and from Africa in particular. Is the new Left prepared for such an eventuality? The future will tell.

AWB: Thank you for your insights and analysis!

News and Analysis

Demonstrations in Support of Recent Coup in Burkina Faso Highlighted Solidarity with Russia

October 16, 2022 by Abayomi Azikiwe

The West African state witnessed youth-led attacks on a French embassy and installations amid security challenges.

When Will the Stars Shine Again in Burkina Faso?: The Forty-First Newsletter (2022)

October 13, 2022 by Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research

On 30 September 2022, Captain Ibrahim Traoré led a section of the Burkina Faso military to depose Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who had seized power in a coup d’état in January. The second coup was swift, with brief clashes in Burkina Faso’s capital of Ouagadougou at the president’s residence, Kosyam Palace, and at Camp Baba Sy, the military administration’s headquarters.

Dissecting AFRICOM, and Environment, Oil, and the UN in the DRC

October 12, 2022 by AfricaNow!

The show begins with a discussion with Aziz Fall, Member of the Group for Research and Initiatives for the Liberation of Africa (GRILA) and Netfa Freeman of Black Alliance for Peace on the U.S. militarization of Africa through U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). Maurice Carney, Executive Director of Friends of the Congo provides an update on critical environmental issues and the role of the UN in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

For peace in the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda must be brought to justice

October 11, 2022 by People’s Dispatch

Kambale Musavuli talks about the first installment of reparations that Uganda has paid to the Democratic Republic of Congo for war crimes and atrocities in the 90s. He also explains why the process of ensuring justice is far from complete.

Pentagon doesn’t know if it trained Burkina Faso coup leader

October 10. 2022 by Nick Turse

Capt. Ibrahim Traore deposed the last guy who overthrew the government — Lt. Col. Sandaogo Damiba — who did extensive training with the U.S. and AFRICOM.

Imperialist Militarism and the African Crisis

October 8, 2022 by Abayomi Azikiwe

The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and all iterations of foreign interference bring instability to the African continent. 

On the Coup D'etat in Burkina Faso: Declaration of the Trade Union Action Unit

October 5, 2022 by Trade Union Action Unit 

Following the recent coup where a disgruntled army captain ousted the sitting transitional military government (that came to power in a coup in January 2022), the trade union group released a statement containing a ten-point plan for dealing with the national crises.

A Guide to #ShutDownAFRICOM

October 4, 2022 by Ready for Revolution

On October 1st, the criminal and genocidal US military command, AFRICOM, will have been in existence for 14 years. In those 14 years, a sizable amount of awareness on the program has been raised by committed individuals and organizations who want to see our homeland released from the clutches of the US empire. But as that fourteenth year begins, the necessity of ending this initiative, once and for all, grows more and more dire. #ShutDownAFRICOM

Colonialism, Compradors & The Militarized Crisis of Capitalism in Africa

October 1, 2022 by Black Alliance for Peace

The Black Alliance for Peace organized this cutting edge webinar, “Colonialism, Compradors & The Militarized Crisis of Capitalism in Africa,” to kick off the 2022 International Month of Action Against AFRICOM. The online discussion featured analysis from organizers in hotspots on the ground in Africa and from others with uncompromising and lucid views on the state of affairs in Africa and strategies to get the “U.S. Out of Africa” and “Shut Down AFRICOM.”

If you are interested in getting more directly involved in the fight to liberate Africa, please consider joining the U.S. Out of Africa Network. 

P.S. Freedom isn’t free. We are doing this work with no full time staff and no big foundation support. Consider giving today.

Banner Photo: Coup spokesman Capt. Kiswendsida Farouk Azaria Sorgho reads a statement in a studio in Ougadougou, Burkina Faso flanked by fellow soldiers (courtesy RTB via Associated Press)