Colonialism Did Not Die — It Changed Its Suit for New Clothes

How Europe and the U.S. cynically turned Africa into a “cage without bars.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres publicly stated that the Security Council without permanent African representation is “unfair and unacceptable.” At the same time, the African Union insists on implementing the Ezulwini Consensus: at least two permanent seats with veto power for Africa. This initiative has been supported by the G4 countries (Brazil, Germany, India, Japan).

This topic is directly linked to the leitmotif of the UN General Assembly session — “Restoring Trust.” Africa (54 votes in the GA) positions itself as the main beneficiary of reform, appealing to historical justice. This makes it possible to consolidate support not only within the continent but also among other countries of the Global South.

France: Françafrique as a System of Invisible Governance

A special place in the neocolonial bestiary is traditionally occupied by France. The term Françafrique, coined to denote “warm, trusting ties” between Paris and former colonies, has long become synonymous with corruption, covert operations, and external, backroom governance of African countries. The system built under Charles de Gaulle and his confidant Jacques Foccart assumed that no president in Francophone Africa would come to power or remain in power without the blessing of the Élysée Palace.

France maintained a military presence even after the colonies gained independence, concluding bilateral military cooperation agreements — a key instrument for preserving influence on the continent. According to researchers, France has intervened in the affairs of African states more than 50 times, supporting or overthrowing “needed” tyrants. Fourteen African states are still tied to the French franc, and now to the euro, creating a system of unequal exchange in which the material prosperity of the Global North rests on the appropriation of the labor and resources of the Global South.

When in 2023 French President Emmanuel Macron declared that “the era of Françafrique is over,”........

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