Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Obama should not absolve West of problems in Africa

Obama should not absolve West of problems in Africa
Mhofeti - Opinion
Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:19:00 +0000

THE following opinion piece by regular contributor, Mhofeti, is a response to President Barack Obama's recent statement that the West and US is not to blame for Zimbabwe's present woes in the last 15-20years. See original article here.

I AM not an expert on international co-operation but for President Barack Obama to try to absolve US and the West is (of causing problems in Zimbabwe) is just playing a game of political correctness.

Here are my reasons:

1. I only remember the US and the West being blamed for what has happened in Zimbabwe for the past decade, not 15-20 years, specifically economic sanctions.

2. If indeed President Obama is a big believer that 'Africans are responsible for Africa', he has a very strange way of showing support for their initiatives to solve own problems considering the implications of his treatment of Tourism Minister Walter Muzembi during the tour headed by our Prime Minister.

3. The representatives of US and the West in Africa were not supportive of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) mediated process regarding the Zimbabwean conflict.

4. That the West were oppressive and racist in their dealings with Africa since the colonial era is a historically acknowledged fact which President Obama cannot water down. I will, however, give him the honour to prescribe how long it takes to get rid of the consequential effect to Africa.

5. Can President Obama explain how US is not to blame for Zimbabwe's woes when.....ZDERA empowers the US to use its voting rights and influence (as the main donor) in multilateral lending agencies, such as the IMF, World Bank, and the African Development Bank to veto any applications by Zimbabwe for finance, credit facilities, loan rescheduling, and international debt cancellation?

Diplomatic, political and developmental engagement with Africa will only yield long lasting solutions if the US and the West do not continue on a condescending attitude of pretending to know what's best for Africa.

Labels: BARACK OBAMA, NEOCOLONIALISM, SANCTIONS, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 7:24 PM