AFRICA | The West led by France seeking to pile on Economic Sanctions on African Countries 'liberated' by military action

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica August 31, 2023 - As the Francophone colonial countries in Africa move to take direct control of their destinies by radical leadership changes and the exercise of more control of their country’s vast mineral resources, the west, led by France are seeking to pile more sanctions on the new governments.

On Wednesday, a draft UN Security Council resolution that would have renewed the sanctions regime against Mali was vetoed by Russia.

The draft resolution, tabled by France and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), won 13 votes in favor. Russia voted against it. China abstained. 

A competing draft resolution tabled by Russia failed to win enough votes for its adoption. To be adopted, a Security Council resolution needs nine votes in favor and no veto from any of the five permanent members of the council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

MALI GRABS BACK GOLD

Mali's announced radical plans to take more control of the country’s vast mineral resources. Many of its mines are run by foreign firms including Canada’s Barrick Gold and B2Gold, Australia's Resolute mining and the Britain’s Hummingbird Resources.
Under a… pic.twitter.com/lN9z3s7FDf

— African Stream (@african_stream) August 31, 2023

In a letter sent to Security Council members earlier this month, Mali asked the council to terminate the sanctions regime -- travel ban and asset freeze. Before the vote on the Russian-drafted text, Nebenzia ruled out a return of the sanctions regime if Russia's draft was not adopted.

"So please do heed our words and vote in favor of this Russian draft. If this is not adopted, then there is no coming back to discussing any further resolution on this matter," he said. The U.S. representative said earlier that his country was committed to working with other Security Council members "to achieve a mandate renewal."

The UNSC established the sanctions regime, targeting individuals and entities engaged in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, or stability of Mali, in Sept. 2017. The Security Council had renewed the Mali sanctions regime several times. The mandate for the regime expires on Aug. 31, 2023.

In the meantime, yesterday's coup in Gabon, a former colony of France, has cut like a knife within the body politic of France as that country also provides France with valuable mineral resources which could be threatened.

The coup in Gabon comes a month after the government of Niger was overthrown by a military junta. However, unlike Niger, Gabon had not been beset by extremist violence and a significantly more developed economy. Oil accounts for around one-third of Gabon’s GDP and the country is one of the 13 members of OPEC. Gabon has also not previously been seen as part of the so-called coup belt” that stretches across Central and West Africa. Since 2020 the region has seen juntas pull off successful coups in Niger, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Guinea and Mali.

Mali and Burkina Faso have expressed their solidarity with Niger’s Military Government. pic.twitter.com/D27jkp579V

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) August 1, 2023

Gabon’s general election which took place on Saturday attracted serious questions about the legitimacy of the polling process both by opposition leaders and foreign media. Bongo’s government also cut internet access across the country on the day of the election, which remained in effect until Wednesday.

The electoral process was also heavily criticized by Reporters Without Borders, who said the government refused to allow the foreign press to cover the elections. The government also temporarily banned the broadcast of several foreign news outlets—including France 24, RFI and TV5Monde. Government officials claimed these bans, along with nighttime curfews, were instituted to halt the spread of false information and calls for violence.