 Hi, so my name is Sandy Barrett and we're here for a monthly show called what's going on and there's a lot going on in the world including happy International Women's Day to whomever chooses to watch us and also to Eric Añero a colleague of mine who just got back from Africa So we'll be talking about what's going on in the other part of the world the non NATO part of the world and see what's going on in that part of the world during this disastrous war in Ukraine Anyway, happy International Women's Day before we begin. I want to mention something about that holiday that holiday was a holiday that was first celebrated and created in the former Soviet Union in 1917 the Soviet Union of course is Russia that was the result Soviet Union of the Bolshevik Revolution which occurred there in 1917 as Russia emerged Defeated essentially in World War one at that time in 1917 then the Russians gave up and it gave up huge amounts of territory to the Germans and they essentially surrendered after in 1917 the war ended in 1918 and at that time the women of the Soviet Union Got together to celebrate peace to celebrate women all throughout the world women and girls But also to celebrate peace. We all should remember this in Russia in 1917 and see whether or not we can consider peace between Russia again and the NATO countries Right now. So Eric you were recently in Africa. So what's going on there? What did you find there? I was astonished actually I should say by what we found there And by the way, I just want to point out for our audience that this little country Right here at least compared to the rest of the world. That's what Ukraine is Surrounded while this is the Russian Federation Ukraine and this is what where you were in Africa, right in every close, okay And then I was also in Ghana But before I go there I would like to piggyback on what you said about the women and think about all the women in Africa that are still fighting to get more rights and that need, you know The the help from the women in the West they need the help from all people in the world Men even like you, which I'm sure you do support those women, right? Yes, of course and then back to the situation of the war in Ukraine and then how it's being viewed from Africa I was also surprised to see that most of the people on the streets of Africa but even within the political realm are You know have some sympathy for For Putin and Russia and Russia. I was surprised So I tried to understand what was going on and I realized when I asked people that they're not Condoning what is going on in Ukraine As far as the war or the invasion, you know, you name it, but it's more like they are They have sympathy for someone that stands against the West By what what do you mean by the West also the West? I mean by you know all the former European colonial powers. Okay, that's key though, isn't it? Okay, go ahead example France in Ivory Coast You know and that's where you were Ivory Coast Ivory Coast has been independent from France since the 1960 but it wasn't a real independence up to now France has it needs on the throat More than 15 countries over there The new generation is no no longer the generation of my father of my grandfather who were Colonial being do you mean colonial beings meaning that they were subject subjects of the French Empire They were they were you know, my mother went to school, you know Singing the French Yeah, Marseillez Learning about more of the geography and the history of France rather than that of her country I grew up, you know learning more about my country I went to school with you know friends in Europe that today maybe are you know leading their own countries But my generation doesn't want to be seen as a colonial being anymore. They want at least to be respected and the research as Africans but also a citizen of the world human being that's it. So The West unfortunately the European powers and they are like the western European powers Western European powers, correct and they are like from you know, Canada Canada and the US Unfortunately have kept that, you know a statue school of you know, you know a colonial relationship of Westerns West supremacy like meaning like For the past 20 years nothing has been done to change that you have new generation that wants Change that doesn't want to be a Citizen of countries where the West just come to get resources But just want to to do their business, you know and and I think that The West hasn't changed the way they do business with Africa now Africa has also Historical right relationship with the Russians for example. Wait a minute. Let's go back to something. So it I When I studied European history it turned out to my surprise that between like 1878 and 1917 the capitalist powers France England then Germany And Italy to and the United States basically conquered Africa and split it up between them and there was a big conference the Congress of Berlin in 1878 where this section was considered French and this section was considered British and what you're saying is that they use their Imperial power to Kind of rob the African nations of its resources. Is that true? Yes And then of course, you know that these are things of the past we thought But unfortunately, it doesn't change, right? It doesn't change. So you have you have You know in the name of this Agreement in Berlin and Yalta. You have Yalta. Yeah, you have your US condoning, right? France You know, you know continuing to to you know brutally Exploiting the resource of Africans, right? You know, that's why today Even though I grew up with you know a portrait of JFK JFK in my house We have like that sympathy towards towards the US More and more Africans are linking the US to that brutal, you know Exploitation of France and other colonial powers in France in your section of Africa Yeah, France in my section of Africa. This is why you know You see today the streets in Africa being in favor of putting as a man or Russia as a nation that stands against, you know, those who were supposed to be their friends but you know that are doing According to them worse than the Russian I take for example what happened in Libya. All right, right, which was Deeply influenced by Italians, correct? Yeah, Libya and then, you know, Libya, of course Gaddafi wasn't an angel No, of course Gaddafi was I guess we all have to say that before we discuss anything An angel right but and Libya by the way is up here. Yeah, but Gaddafi was kind of, you know You know maintaining some kind of peace over there and then, you know, the resources were pretty much, you know shared like I'm not saying equally but Could we put it this way that Libby that Gaddafi was looking out for the interests of Libya? Yes, okay now whether or not he was corrupt and all that stuff is a different question Yes, and then he was like a Libyan mother exactly European convinced Obama to go bomb I mean bombard, you know, Libya. Yeah, Libya is a total mess today Including including a reintroduction of slavery. Yeah, right. Libya is a total mess today You know comparing to what Libya was all Africans wanted to go to Libya really why tell me Europe because in Libya Libya was kind of, you know, well, I mean Develop more than the rest of the the continent so Libya is also Arab. Yeah, Libya is Arab Okay, he has money right and then yeah Gaddafi was, you know, of course buying a scoundrel. Yeah So what happened in Libya? Had a bitter taste for most Africans because all the hoodlums and you know, you know, all the Bandits that were, you know used for the war in, you know, Libya came down to the Sahel to other countries And today it's the mess. Bokina Faso, Mali Mauritania, all these countries are under the menace of, you know, Terrorists, you know, the threat of terrorists and fundamentalists that wants to occupy the place So for most of Africans, both the intelligentsia and the people of the street This is something that they will never forget. Okay, so but they blamed their mess, whatever messes exists in Africa right now On the old colonial powers in which it's France, England Italy, I mean, and the United States now, correct? Yeah, the United States, not because the United States was a colonial power, but because the United States has some Like as an alliance with these colonial, I mean colonial powers and then they will expect The US which is seen as the, you know, the the stronghold of democracy To at least make sure that these countries, these European countries are not treating, you know The Africans anymore like colonial beings, like today The US is doing something very great, like, you know, revisiting the racist past Today we're hearing about black lives matter But how can black lives matter only in the US and not matter in Africa? This makes me question the sincerity of Disassertion that black life matter because the black lives in Africa also want democracy They also want to have hospitals. They also want to have education when the IMF the International Monetary Fund He's crippling the economies by Adopting like measures like the structural adjustment That makes, you know, I remember I went to school 60% of the budget when I was going to university in our in Africa was devoted to education After the IMF came with the structural adjustment It went down to I don't know maybe like 10% or what but in all the schools were Dismantled the hospitals were like dismantled just because this country had to pay back their debts Okay, so why do you connect the IMF with the US? Uh, you know, it's Bretton Woods, right? Yeah, and yeah, it's like the institutions of Bretton Woods and Bretton Woods was in the 30s. Correct. Yes France has control of the IMF Mm-hmm, uh-huh. The US have like more more of your control of the word bank. So but it's all the same You know, so, you know, uh It's about time You know the the US and the West change the way of looking at Africa Okay Let's let's turn to the other Places in the world that have not been reported on as certainly It doesn't appear that there's been any reportage about who favors whom from Latin America No protests that I know of pro Zelensky pro Ukraine nothing and I said and but today there was an interesting Headline from Nicholas Maduro in Venezuela and also we know something about Cuba So it occurred to me that if you think about it, what's happening in Latin America? Do they favor Uh, Zelensky and Ukraine Or the West or what are their feelings? I suspect they're pro-russia. Yeah, but you know in this in this situation Like the western media tend to always look at who's the bad guy who the good guy look for, you know, who follows who The real problem here is like about, you know Does the West have any credit any credibility any credibility? That's the real question because I'm pretty sure no one wants his country to be invaded by another superpower, but you know We have to put everything in a context of geopolitical, you know struggles and fights So it's like how can countries like France that are still Oppressing oppressing, you know countries in Africa have the right to say, you know something This is the real question and then the people like Maduro Like the west is giving them, you know enough water to put them To put in the mirror because like okay, so let's look at Venezuela also You could also Extend that to nicaragua also and cuba all of whom cuba's been cautious But all of whom nicaragua and venezuela start there have come out and said either very little or have been pro Putin okay, so why is that it's because this is what I think and then I want your comment The united states has its sphere of influence and it's had that since the Monroe doctrine in 1823 Which said that this republic of the united states america controlled all of the rest of the americas And that it would not allow any other foreign powers ever to mess up that control Okay, this is our united states. I don't want to say our because I don't know what its government is all about It's my country though, and I love this country. Okay, so this republic then now that's its backyard. Yeah, okay What is the backyard for instance of this of russia? It's this area of eastern europe and also I Asia much of asia so when Putin perceived I would guess Just like in the united states when president kennedy perceived a weapons threat in cuba That were put there by the russians When nato began to extend his power this way I think putin said no, we're not going to allow that Does that justify his invasion? No, but I want you to think about that What would the united states have done in a similar circumstance? What did they do when the russians put missiles in cuba? That's that's a big question. That's why you know, all these countries are questioning, you know all this Around, you know, Ukraine. I mean, it's the same agreements that allow Former colonial colonial powers from europe who have the backyard they extend even the backyard on another continent like France has like a large sphere of influence here in africa. That's it's a backyard. Yeah, yeah That's the ego. Why does it, you know, uh, is it uh pertaining not only for The americas and not for russia. So I guess russia also, you know is trying to defend the turf So, uh And and then they don't see nato as a good idea in the neighborhood Well, if you let's go back a little bit to what russia really Is and what it isn't all right russia is this huge federation at this point that extends all the way to asia Since the 19th century if you think about it russia has been invaded by the west beginning with napoleon correct in 1812 That in those invasions Temporarily where it went into a bayance on the first and the second world war I don't know how many americans know that russia was our ally in both wars. So it was the us France britain and russia Which fought against the germans Correct in world war one and in world war two, but in both of those wars The russians paid the highest price. Yes Okay, especially in europe against the germans the russians had the most casualties And they were perceived as at least a very important victor in defeating the nazis. Okay So with that history 1945 comes second world war over When there should have been peace between the us and russia immediately begins the cold war against russia Right. Yeah, and from 1945 until present the nato alliance Has been an alliance directed against russia and the russians have said repeatedly not in our backyard, right? Yeah But you know we should also you know Look at the fact that you know also russia tried to also have their own Sure, sure always always always a lot of countries across the you know, mostly the the countries that were in eastern europe You know of you know, eastern europe in africa a lot of countries even south africa, for example Doesn't want to take like a very, you know, uh, a strong position Like with regard to the invasion of of ukraine ukraine because Russia helped south africa fight the oppressive regime In you know, you know, yeah, like in the apartheid regime. They did. Yeah, russia. So did cuba. Yeah, so did cuba Mali for example that is kicking out france from the day country now. Yeah now has been like a good, you know historical pattern of Russia so You know, it was fair A camp wanted to push for liberalism another one was like for socialism, but today the world has changed it's like Other other powers and mid-sized power are emerging It's a fair competition now between I mean the the whole world like you have like you have turkey that is doing business in africa China is there and russia russia is there russia is today In africa. I know china too. Yeah china very much But what does it mean for the u.s? The u.s risk To lose their sympathy. I mean lose africa. I know if they continue To follow the european powers that are looking at africa just as a place of subhumans Who are not, you know capable capable of doing, you know anything But what how do the russians or the chinese look at africans? You know, uh, someone was telling me do you think that you know, uh, the the russians are less White supremacists that I said, you know what they don't bring that when they come to the business Rather than the u.s or the the european that have been only given condoms to africa for the past 20 years And the the assumption that the whole continent will die from AIDS Rather than looking for ways to create I mean a dynamic, you know market over there where africans can do business Nothing is comparable to what the u.s. Have achieved in 200 years nothing Legacy of culture economy anything you keep you going to africa today And then you talk about the u.s. You will have the same sympathy, you know about the u.s I mean no matter what politically, you know, the governments are doing so Even if china today was to To to to surpass or even to get closer to what the u.s. Is It would have just been because the u.s. Has been the pioneer And then china has been able to copy or to look at it So, you know, uh, if the u.s. Doesn't change that perspective of looking at african countries only as like, you know Second-class citizens and exploitable. Yeah, and then we can help Just help AIDS it's time for business We want in ivory coast People in ivory coast want to buy cheese from the month that is even getting sometimes better than cheese from france You know, yeah, they want to like do business with they would rather do business with the u.s. And i mean they want to be able to do business with any country You know with respect to, you know, human rights, you know, like We're not they don't want to be forced to do business with a country like France There's so much that people want to buy from the u.s Rather than being, you know locked into a Sphere of influence from france or great britain It's a new world The new generation wants to do business with china With russia with the u.s. And they don't want to be forced to do that. This is the new world any power any country any superpower or empire that doesn't understand that Will have china and russia, you know, uh, take the You know get the the cake Well, that's but there's also another policy that the united states has pursued particularly in latin america They sanction everybody. I mean the the government of the united states puts heavy-duty sanctions on cuba What are they supposed to do sit there not be able to buy anything from anyone? So cuba has always been allied more or less with russia And that is that is what's happening today is that cuba feels more sympathy for putin than it does for Zelensky or or for the west what we call the west I know that, you know, the world is not i mean the world is not a king I mean a playground and a kindergarten that, you know, it's about, you know, the world is tough, you know You know, you never know what, you know, the russian, you know hide a conceal You know when they deal with the u.s. Of course, but you know, uh Today nobody can win a war with nukes or whatever Oh, yeah, they can blister the whole world, you know, it won't go anywhere But even if china stopped today, they know that, you know, it's the end of the world I mean, it's like so nobody will do that. There will be small conflicts here and there But this is not a small conflict It's time for the world to look at How we're going to do this today anything that happened in the u.s A guy in the bush in africa knows about it really back in the day How come americans don't know about all this stuff? Because you know, we have a condescending attitude towards the rest of the world, you know If if you are humble enough even if you are the mightiest if you are humble enough You learn about yeah, what's going on and then today the the you know the press is horrible I mean today like with your cell phone, you know what is going on in america like as as soon as it happens So we have to be in a world of cooperation because nobody can win any war, you know because like Shouldn't this be obvious to the u.s. After iraq It takes time it takes time for a mighty i mean a mighty power like the u.s To change it's like a huge change It will take time it will take like americans themselves and it would take the people that are called calling them some progressive I know to do that because they are also i'm very i'm very Surprised that you know, you'll find among those who are progressive Uh, some people that you know, uh camping on On their grounds like you know the rest of you know, if you're not among them use a devil Today there are nuances now There's it's no longer one side and the other one even china is probably an ally of russia Yeah, but china also has its card concealed. Yeah. Yeah, whatever will happen to uh russia Maybe could be in in their favor. So it's like this, you know, it's like moving Well, but the there was a really interesting article and I think I don't know how Much longer we have maybe a little bit, but there was a very interesting article Okay, let me go back a little bit. It seemed to me that this war in ukraine started almost immediately under the biden administration and I would say that russia This is a pre-emptive war on the part of russia They are pre-emptively entering ukraine and that to me as a moral kind of person Is really a capital sin that they have done this that they have invaded Unilaterally another country. Okay, so let's let's put that aside for a moment But that there are underlying causes of why they did it which is not to justify it But to say that they had their reasons and it doesn't seem that the press is covering any of that All the press is doing is stoking up further war by labeling putin a madman evil blah blah He has a strategy. This is what I think happened. He has a strategy. He has to yeah I think there has been a tacit agreement with china That allows putin to do this because he knows china has their back that to me. Okay, and remember That that was a foreign policy that should have always been avoided by the united states The united states never should have adopted any policy. It appears to me that would drive russia and china together That's a what what on earth is going on with that if russia and china are together I don't think that the united states I don't know. I mean, I can't imagine now what's going to happen to the united states Yeah, and the europeans are dependent on russia. It's a new world. So it's the united states So I mean a lot more importantly. We're dependent on china Yeah So so it's like even like Like shooting a gun on your own. Yeah, so uh, I got an email from a russian friend of mine who said We not only shot ourselves in the foot that we have shot ourselves everywhere By doing this by driving those two superpowers together I'll say one thing about the former president trope. Most people don't even like to hear anything he said But he clearly had a different foreign policy toward russia He wanted as you said to do business in russia. It's time for business. You know, there's no more like this and then Russia russia was clever. I mean russia is pulling The the u.s. Back to the, you know cold war. I know which is which will trigger, you know Militarism and all these I know and gun sales. Yeah, I mean the the gun sales people of the world must be Thrilled, yeah, we don't need that There is a need for a profound discussion about what is going on and people have to understand that it's not like A villain against the right, but that's the way the press perceives it because the press they like it Why they always find a good guy and a bad guy because this is how that is not true of the foreign press It is true of our press and I don't understand the idiocy of them. I don't get it. Why aren't the american people being Better informed about this because the the the traditional press is dying. So they're looking for anything What do you mean by that newspapers? Newspapers because today, you know People get the news from from I mean, which is not a good thing, but the traditional media Has lost their credibility They have lost their credibility with the the the newspapers the newspapers Newspapers for long because they get advertisement. I have I have I have been a reporter for cnn, right? I've been a stringer for cnn. I've worked for the voice of america and other newspapers And I know that you know how much advertisement or Which government finances your operation have an influence on your you know on your Editorial, so I there aren't any more editorials and half of the press Like the free press I used to be big and fat Nothing now we need people we need citizens to sit down and discuss even here in the mark We need to sit down. I haven't seen any debates where people can exchange their ideas It's either One side of you know one spectrum of the press Another spectrum. I mean side of the spectrum of and then people are fighting, you know Like a proxy war through the the media that they support we need to sit down and discuss like this Yeah, like this go into the issues And then understand what is going on that it's not only a villain that is being you know persecuted in russia it's it's uh the consequence of Action that have been taken by decades decades ago. It's like and and then there's a huge risk Right now africa is paying already for that war. Which one prices prices are, you know, here they're there Yeah, you know wheat is I mean prices up You know soon they won't be able to operate anything because they're dependent on on on gas on gas They produce oil that is being popped by you know, french companies british companies in africa in africa refine elsewhere and then Brought back for them to pay they produce Kakao and then that kakao has been exported raw To the us and then return to them, you know as guess what else heroin you see morphine morphine everything even medicine so Me um I like I have liked the us since I was a kid. That's why I like I came and you came here, right? Yeah, that's why I want the us to do better to do better. We can do better in africa. It won't be A militarism that will make us win the war over there. We have to win the hearts of the people We have to be genuine. We have to bring development. We have to bring business because products that are made in america So far are better than most of the you know the goods that are made around the globe We have we have argument to sell we can sell things to africa without a gun on you know You know the head of the people over there We have like we have good industries. I've seen what is going on in here in the month. I've seen How cheese cheese? I mean even wine. I brought a californian wine to my dad Who's an aficionado of you know white? I mean, you know french wine And he lives where in abidjan abidjan he couldn't believe that that wine was coming from california. No He thought it was a wine from from france or from you know, this uh, so he's a franco file He's a franco file, but he's changing. He's changing because you know, he wants, you know, his grandkids To be able to talk to an american kid as equal The pass is a pass Now we want like a new So also you you said and you said a lot of people have said that there's china is all over africa too What do they want in return? Are they going to exact the A price for the is it imperialism on behalf of china and russia when they are in there china China is definitely looking for i mean it's some the new imperialism is that of economy Okay, okay china is not there to Not with the military, you know, I mean they have some military to protect, you know, the the ships Going through the place like east. I mean The horn of africa and like around Somalia and jibouti or all this because china is doing more and more business to the continent The ships are you know going through, you know the the routes here So they need the military to be able to protect the right, okay China is there for business china is not an angel. No, no, no Yes, I get it. I get it. Yeah an angel But you know today and mugabe said mugabe from from from uh, from uh, so here, right? And bob way, you know, who was like a good boy by western standard for a long time until he was deceived by tony Blair And and and and and and and and and uh, president clinton So he went to become their enemy, but mugabe said one day The european raped us Now we have the choice to go to bed with china without being raped. It's a big difference So we're choosing who's our partner You know, so That's really powerful if The europeans and the americans the canadian come no longer as you know Yeah, they will do better than china But they're not doing that right now. They're not doing that. Is there anything that is comparable to uh, you know, the legacy of Elvis Presley Hollywood, you know, nothing the fight. We know that right fight for the women rights the fight for for, you know workers until you know Labor day become a day for shopping. Yeah, it was a day of, you know, uh, you know, the fight of the workers and then it came from here So we have to go back to them. You have to go back to that I think we should stop right now, but the conversation is not going to be over. I would guess So last thing, what are you predicting? What's going to happen in this war? Well, today the world is like that's like what it's Unpredictable anything can happen. I mean, but you know, I'm pretty sure, you know Ukraine would be Destroyed. I know which is terrible interest of, you know, superpowers. So this is what I said to my sister who lives in canada This is a proxy war between russia and the us People don't want to hear that though. They want to hear about it's only about ukraine ukraine is the battlefield. Yeah, and the ukraine I hate to say it, but it's going to be destroyed In africa we say when two elephants are fighting Yeah, the the grass on the ground that suffers and ukraine is that grass It's a horrible thing a horrible realization. But thank you. Maybe we'll be back in a month, right? Yeah, thanks a lot and all my sympathy to the people of ukraine me to and to the people Really everywhere right now. Right. Right. Okay. Thank you, eric and we'll see you soon