Since gaining independence, Africa has tested different governance systems, including democracy, with mixed results. The Guinean president criticized democracy's effectiveness in Africa and appealed to the UN for self-determination on the continent. 

"Africa [...] is suffering from a governance model that has been imposed on it,” said Mamady Doumbouya (photo), President of the Guinean Transitional Government, in his speech at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly last Thursday, September 21. 

Addressing officials gathered for the occasion, the Head of State who overthrew Alpha Condé on September 5, 2021, criticized “Western-style democracy”, which he says is not adapted to Africa.  According to the junta leader, democracy is a "model that is certainly good and effective for the West, which developed it over the course of its history, but which is difficult to incorporate and adapt to our realities, our customs, our environment…” 

Defending himself from being "another warmonger who wants to bend the neck of democracy” or “a soldier who wants to impose a dictatorship,” Mamady Doumbouya portrayed most African democracies as governance models that only served as tools to better exploit Africa’s resources and maintain corrupt elites.  

Opposing world powers’ paternalistic attitude over Africa, he criticized the categorization in which African countries are “boxed in.” "We are neither pro nor anti-American. We are neither pro nor anti-Chinese, nor pro or anti-French, nor pro or anti-Russian, nor pro or anti-Turkish. We are simply pro-African, that's all. Placing us under the influence of this or that power is an insult [...] towards a continent with a population of more than one billion Africans, around 70% of whom are young people who are completely free, open-minded, open to the world, and determined to take their destiny into their own hands,” he said to cheers from the audience.

A highly polarized diplomatic scene

Although this speech, hailed by many Africans, seems to be aligned with a self-determination drive on the continent, the current dynamics observed in Africa,  particularly in the Sahel region, paint a different picture. Indeed, following their recent coups, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger distanced themselves from France, their former colonial power that is accused of wanting to maintain an obsolete sphere of influence dubbed the Francafrique. At the same time, they drew closer to Russia, a foreign power and France’s geopolitical rival. 

"Africa's population is young, it did not experience the Cold War [...] the ideological wars that have shaped the world over the last 70 years. That's why we Africans are insulted by the categories which sometimes place us under the influence of Americans, sometimes under that of the British, sometimes the French, the Chinese, or the Russians, and even Turks,” Mamady Doumbouya said. Yet the facts seem to indicate that, for all their goodwill, Africa's new leaders still have to deal with a highly polarized diplomatic scene on a global scale, between a "democratic" axis revolving around France and the United States on the one hand, and rivals whose hardcore is made up of Russia and China on the other. 

This geopolitical reality seems to corroborate the various events that marked the social movements that led to or followed the various putsches that took place in West African countries. In Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, Russian flags were waved several times during demonstrations in support of the putschists. During those demonstrations, the various messages also expressed support for the paramilitary group Wagner, considered Moscow's armed wing on the continent. Moreover, Bamako and Ouagadougou have officially drawn closer to the Kremlin, with whom they are intensifying their cooperation on several issues, while discussions have been reported between the junta in Niamey and representatives of the Wagner group in Africa.

Ditch a foreign power for another? 

While Doumbouya's speech legitimately expresses the quest for self-determination shared by all Africans, recent events seem to point to a different reality. Pan-Africanism was once aimed at liberation from foreign influences and the promotion of African development through unity and diversity. However, it seems to have taken a different path, turning towards Russia rather than remaining under French influence. This development is clearly illustrated by the close links between new controversial but incontestable figures of Pan-Africanism –Kemi Seba, Nathalie Yamb aka the Lady of Sochi– and Russia. These links show the extent to which for many Africans, Russia, that well-meaning friend, has become the new alternative to France or the U.S.

Yet, history has shown that countries have very few friends, but always interests. To avoid just ditching a foreign power for the other, Africa, whose resources have long been exploited by others, must learn to defend and prioritize its interests, and unite to succeed in integrating and transforming its economy on its own.

“If we really want development, we need to focus on ourselves and develop our productive forces, our local industries. This is the only way we can succeed in our bid for development. It is the only way to do it because once you control your industries, when you control your productive forces, when you can industrialize [your economy] by following your own rules, you will no longer need them. But for the moment, it's either we tell France to go away and we get under Russia, or we tell Russia to go away and we get under China. What difference does it make? It's just a change of slave masters," Nigerian analyst Dengiyefa Angalapu of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) West Africa told Ecofin Agency.

Mamady Doumbouya’s speech at the UN General Assembly seems to follow the same logic. But, instead of being just wishes, the speech needs to be concretized, leading to an effective paradigm shift from African leaders first and then from their foreign partners.  

Moutiou Adjibi Nourou