The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Resource exploitation attracts foreign military and economic interest, whose presence fuels conflicts that devastates populations
ANALYSIS | ANN-YOUNG MAHARAJ | Africa’s Peace and Security continues to be under threat, 72 years after Nelson Mandela warned against future instability in the continent. On the 23rd of August 1953, Mandela made a speech at the Natal Peace Conference that called for safeguarding of peace in Africa. He started his speech on Colonialism and war in Africa with these words…. “The events now taking place in Africa constitute the most serious threat to the peace, security and the freedom of the people of this Continent.”
For years now, the global West have lived on raw materials and cheap labour from Asia and Africa. The rise of the national liberation movements in Asia and the Pacific Regions and the loss of these vast countries as war bases and centres for investment has forced the imperial powers to turn their eyes on Africa.”
Africa, a continent rich in resources and cultural diversity, faces persistent threats to peace and security. These challenges are exacerbated by the interplay of natural resources exploitation, foreign military bases, civilian suffering in conflicts and the role of external armies. The piece examines how these factors create a cycle of instability, undermining Africa’s development and sovereignty and compares it the Nelson Mandela’s speech in 1953 underpinning the same themes.
Riches of Africa
Nelson Mandela spoke about the riches in Africa including gold, diamonds and uranium as well as the cheap labour. This exposed Africa to colonial exploitation from imperial powers mentioning Britain, Belgium, France, Holland, Portugal and Spain saying that their lust for markets and profits will not stop them breaking the peace and security in Africa.
Today Africa’s vast natural resources including oil, minerals and fertile land have become a double-edged sword. The resource curse theory posits that abundance often leads to corruption ,inequality and conflict. An example is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, rich in coltan and diamonds, has endured decades of war fuelled with militias and foreign corporations vying for control. Similarly, Nigeria’s oil rich Niger Delta suffers from environmental degradation and armed insurgencies. Foreign exploitation worsens governance failures as elites and external actors profit over peace, leaving communities marginalised and fueling rebellions.
Military bases
Foreign military bases in Africa such as the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) and French bases in Sahel, are often justified as counter terrorism measures. However, their presence reflects strategic competition for resources and influence. While intended to stabilize regions like Sahel, these bases often provoke local backlash, perceived as neocolonialism, for example French operations in Mali faced accusations of civilian casualties, inadvertently strengthening Jihadist recruitment. These bases risk entangling Africa in global power rivalries, undermining regional sovereignty.
In 1953 military bases was established by imperial powers to protect their markets and investments and to crush the national liberation movements and forestall the rise of revolutionary movements in Africa. America had land, sea and air bases in Morocco and Libya, Britain had military bases in Egypt, East Africa, Somaliland and Sudan.
Mr. Mandela mentions the British decision to quit Palestine and determines that Africa is a war base.
Victims of a future war
“The people of Africa will be the first victims of a future war.” Nelson Mandela speaks about how African industries will produce armaments and that the continents raw materials will not be used to build their own economies but to destroy those of others.
If we juxtapose this to what is happening in Africa today we know that civilians bear the brunt of Africa’s conflicts. The UNHCR reports over 30 million Africans displaced by violence with crises in South Sudan, Sudan and the Central African Republic. Women and children face sexual violence and forced recruitment as seen with Boko Haram’s abductions in Nigeria. Conflict disrupts education and healthcare, perpetuating cycles of poverty. The trauma of displacement and loss of livelihoods creates generations scarred by violence, hindering post-conflict recovery.
Foreign armies
Foreign military interventions, whether through the UN peacekeepers or private militias, often complicate local dynamics. France’s operation Barkhane in Mali initially degraded jihadist groups but failed to address the root cause like governance, leading to renewed insurgence. Russia’s Wagner groups involvement in Libya and the CAR (Central African Republic), often in exchange for resource concessions, entrenches corruption and violence. Such interventions prioritises short-term security over sustainable peace, often propping up authoritarian regimes that intensifies grievances.
Mandela concludes his speech at the Natal Peace Conference by mentioning the threat to the national liberation movements in Africa resulting from the presence of foreign armies. “The people of Africa are being forced to realise that peace is their most immediate concern. They demand the withdrawal from the Continent of Africa of all foreign troops and the end of colonial oppression and exploitation “
In 72 years, not much has changed. The exploitation of resources attracts foreign military and economic interest, whose presence fuels conflicts that devastates populations. The cycle entrenches dependency, as African nations remain pawns in global geopolitics while the citizens suffer.
Addressing Africa’s security threats requires dismantling this cycle. Strengthening governance, ensuring equitable resource distribution, and prioritising African led solutions. International actors must shift from militarised interventions to supporting sustainable development, only then can Africa transform its riches from sources of conflict into pillars of peace.
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Ann-Young Maharaj is a researcher.
