Firstly, Ethiopia is under US sanctions while Vietnam is not. And speaking of former French colonies, Haiti was the first to get independence (1804) and is still one of the poorest countries in the world because of the debt they had to take on to gain independence (it took them until 1947 to fully repay it!). Whereas, New Caledonia is still a French colony and is neither rich nor poor.
"If colonialism were the answer to why Africa is poor..."
This line completely ignores the European powers' (and US) post-colonial control over Africa. Patrice Lumumba, the first democratically elected leader of the DRC, was tortured and killed by Belgium and the US for being a nationalist. His body was dissolved in acid so he wouldn't become a martyr. His legacy is largely unknown even within the continent. Several other such "lessons" were meted out. Google Thomas Sankara (Burkina Faso) and Sylvanus Olympio (Togo).
Once you set the example, you gain obedience. The VietCong, on the other hand, didn't surrender even though 3 million Vietnamese died during the war, and several thousand more continue to die to this day (!) from Agent Orange exposure.
As for former French colonies in Africa, France still controls their currency and holds their central bank reserves in France. As Rothschild purportedly said, "permit me to issue and control the money of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws."
Third, the borders in Africa were drawn in such a way that conflict was inevitable. At the Berlin Conference in 1884-85, the European powers simply carved up the continent by drawing straight line borders. African leaders were conspicuous only by their absence at this historic event which shaped the next century. This is why Cameroon, a French-speaking country, has a minority English-speaking territory, ensuring it remains destabilized. Likewise for West Asia/the Middle East, where the Sykes-Picot legacy lives on.
@magattew conflates formal colonial rule with colonial control. Vietnam managed to fully kick out both France and the US, reunified the North and the South, and kept its sovereignty. All African leaders who attempted the same have been systematically eliminated (see Muammar Gaddafi, Libya's divisive leader, for a recent example), ensuring Africa forever bears the open wounds of its colonial legacy.
But Ms. Wade is right on one thing: Vietnam owes its prosperity to overcoming colonial rule. Maybe Africa can become prosperous if Africans do the same.
@freyntje@ErikSolheim@rpfinkotanyi Filip, you seem to hold a fixed view of Rwanda that hasn’t kept up with time.
You’re free to focus on negatives, but it’s not serious to dismiss the observations of people who have actually been in Rwanda many times as “veneer.”
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 #𝗘𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗮 𝗼𝗻 ��𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮!
Not a chartered plane ✈️, just an @flyethiopian flight from Toronto, Canada to Ethiopia, nearly two-thirds empty.
As a frequent flyer, I can confidently say this is the first time I’ve traveled from North America on such an empty plane. It makes me wonder whether misconceptions about Ebola in Africa are affecting travel decisions.
The reality is that life is continuing as normal across much of Africa, with countries like Uganda implementing proven public health measures and drawing on years of experience managing Ebola outbreaks by @MinofHealthUG team!
Fear travels fast, but facts matter.
Africa is not one country, and outbreaks do not define an entire country
Dear Filip Reyntjens!
I find it a bit curious that you judge so easily on people you dont know. Have we met? This is what you will expect from social media trolls, not from a respected professor.
The observations I have made in Kigali speak for themselves. Any twelve year old can see that streets are clean, that there are few potholes and many pavements and that everyone wear helmet. No deep analysis is needed for this. That Rwanda is safe is well known.
I have never claimed to be an expert on Rwanda. But I have visited the country many times, starting after the genocide in 1994. I have read any number of books on Rwandan history, the genocide in particular. I was also involved in the peace process in neighboring Burundi, with then president Nkurunziza and other actors.
I have over the years visited 40 African countries, all struggling to bring development. That gives perspective to recognize the unique progress of Rwanda in recent decades.
The US has been backlashing Rwanda and RDF due to its so called support to M23, but when it comes to DRC's government and its support to FDLR genocidaires you act as nothing happened, yet both Kinshasa & Gitega declared their intention to overthrow Rwandan Government. Shame!
Hezbollah appears to have added thermal drones to its arsenal in its fight against Israel. It has also recently started using fibre-optic explosive drones to target Israeli troops.
Al Jazeera's @TheMikeAppel explains.
If we’re serious about fighting corruption, we can’t stop at exciting the public with House arrests and headlines. People must be prosecuted and convicted so everyone learns the lesson. This habit of forgiving, only for them to fight us again later demoralizes every anti-corruption crusader. You can’t convict Nandutu over 300 iron sheets, then forgive the one who stole the entire economy. The law must apply equally big or small fish.
This is a very stupid question coming from someone who calls themselves 'Africans.' You should at least know your history.
Like most peoples of the world, Africans identify with their ancestral land, where their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc., are buried.
If their ancestral land is located in the colonial products that are modern Congo, Uganda, or Tanzania, all of whose borders were drawn by foreigners, then they are Congolese, Ugandan, and Tanzanian, respectively.
By the way, this is true for Banyarwanda and Barundi.
Barundi are in eastern Congo (they even have a traditional king) and western Tanzania. They are Congolese and Tanzanians, respectively.
Those who don't like the current borders as drawn in Berlin should return the people with their land.
#RDC: #Goma 🚨🛑‼️| Le premier cas guéri d’#Ebola a quitté l’hôpital après avoir reçu des soins appropriés, suscitant l’espoir d’un meilleur contrôle de l’épidémie. [
My condolences to you and your family.
Funeral cover products already exist in Rwanda. For example, @RadiantYacu 's Umuryango Care covers death from all circumstances and disability for nuclear and extended family members, while also offering savings with 5% annual interest.
This week alone, three of my relatives have lost loved ones. Beyond the emotional pain, i have been reminded of how costly funeral arrangements can be for ordinary families. In many cases, people are forced to borrow, organize emergency fundraisers, or deplete their savings to give their loved ones a dignified send-off.
This got me thinking , could @BKGroupPLC , through its banking and insurance ecosystem, introduce an affordable Funeral Benefit Insurance product?
Imagine a low-cost scheme where individuals contribute a small amount monthly and, in the event of the death of a member or an immediate family member, a predetermined benefit is paid out quickly to support funeral expenses. Such a product could reduce financial stress during one of life’s most difficult moments.
Many Rwandans already participate in informal solidarity groups, savings groups, and community contributions during bereavement. A formal, accessible funeral insurance product could complement these traditions while providing greater financial security.
As we continue to promote financial inclusion and resilience, perhaps it is time to consider solutions that not only support people in life but also help families navigate the financial burden that often comes with loss.
Just an idea worth exploring. @BKGroupPLC@BankofKigali@RSSB_Rwanda
Congratulations to Zimbabwe, Kyrgyzstan, Trinidad and Tobago, Portugal and Austria for their election as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council for the term 2027-2028👏🏾!
RWANDA 🇷🇼🇵🇰 PAKISTAN
This week Rwanda and Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Nuclear Energy cooperation.
The partnership will strengthen collaboration in nuclear regulation, capacity building, and knowledge sharing, supporting the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear technology for national development. #FactsOnRwanda