EDITORIAL: Don’t drag Africa into France-Italy brouhaha

The deputy prime minister of Italy, Luigi di Maio, recently voiced remarks which did not exactly please France. During an official tour of central Italy on Saturday, January 19, 2019, for example, Mr Di Maio attacked France’s Africa policy, accusing the French of exploiting Africa and fueling migration by impoverished Africans to Europe in search of greener pastures.

On the following day, Sunday January 20, the Italian deputy premier called upon the European Union (EU) to “impose sanctions on France for its policies on Africa...” reiterating that “France had never stopped colonising tens of African states...”

A week earlier, Italy’s right-wing Interior Minister Matteo Salvini accused France of harbouring ‘14 terrorists’ wanted in Italy. This was after a fugitive ex-militant was extradited from Bolivia, and who is wanted in Italy to face trial and “end up in jail, rather than quaffing champagne under the Eiffel Tower!”

Apparently, all the forgoing is the latest chapter in a war of words between the governments in Rome (Italy) and Paris (France) since the anti-establishment ‘5-Star-Movement’ and far-right ‘Northern League for the Independence of Padania’ teamed up to take power in Italy following the March 4, 2018 elections.

Thereafter, Italy’s populist leadership has repeatedly clashed with France on issues that include migration, currency, protests and culture.

Although Italy Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte tried to soothe the row between the two EU member-nations on Tuesday, January 22, by highlighting the ‘solid friendship’ between the two neighbouring countries,’ the right-wing Italian Interior Minister, Mr Matteo Salvini, botched it by publicly condemning France’s head of State, Emmanuel Macron, as a “terrible president!”

France accused of manipulating economies

In the event, France summoned Italy’s Ambassador Teresa Castaldo on January 21 to explain her government’s rantings against France. What with one thing leading to another, Di Maio himself refused to back down in the row, telling reporters late afternoon on January 21 that France was manipulating the economies of 14 African countries that use the CFA franc, a colonial-era currency which is underpinned by the French Treasury.

Italy charged that France is one of the countries that print money for 14 African states, thus preventing their economic development – which contributes to those countries’ citizens fleeing their homelands for Europe, sometimes with tragic consequences. Africa should ignore the Franco-Italian polemics

In response, France argued – rightly or wrongly – that the CFA franc has brought monetary stability to the countries that use it. In any case, French President Emmanuel Macron had said in 2017 that it was up to African governments to decide whether to use the currency or not.

We have gone to considerable lengths here in efforts to show Africa and the world how two otherwise developed, advanced countries can stoop so low in bilateral-cum-diplomatic relations – and dragging Africa into their socio-econo-political morass.

This is wrong, wrong, WRONG!

While we deeply appreciate bilateral and multilateral development partnerships – both bilateral and multilateral – we nonetheless must say NO to African countries being made pawns of in such ‘games’ as are currently being played between France and Italy.