The Pentagon Takes Aim at China’s Economic Activities in Africa

A senior defense official delivered a background briefing at the Pentagon Dec. 8 ahead of the African Leaders Summit of Dec. 13-15 in Washington, and the concurrent Peace and Security Governance Forum, co-hosted by the Pentagon, the State Department and USAID. “The U.S. has recognized the enormous potential and promise in Africa,” he said, and it “seeks to work with our African partners to address the most pressing challenges on the continent, such as political instability, insurgent groups, democratic backsliding, pandemics, environmental degradation and climate change.”

Reporters’ questions and the responses showed the summit was aimed at reducing Chinese and Russian influence. The U.S. is concerned about “the P.R.C.’s [military] basing aspirations on the Atlantic coast and in the Africa region in general,” the official said. “I think more than the basing issue, it’s the engagement and the type of relationships that China is trying to engage in,” the official said. “China is … trying to engage from an economic perspective, which is different from what we’re doing … And so … we’re looking at the influence that is happening writ large.”

The message: “We don’t build rail lines or ports in Africa, and we don’t want China building them either.”

South Africa’s Ramaphosa Fights Latest Anglo-American Regime-Change Operation

South African President Ramaphosa and his allies are fighting the latest Anglo-American operation to control South Africa—a member of the BRICS—by using corruption charges to prevent Ramaphosa’s reelection as President of the ANC party and later as President of South Africa.

Ramaphosa is alleged to have had millions of dollars in foreign currency stashed at his cattle farm at Phala Phala, which allegedly only became known to the whistle-blower from the fallout when some of it was stolen. The story goes on to raise questions as to where the money came from, and whether laws concerning large foreign cash transactions and tax laws were violated.

The leadership of the ruling ANC, with significant exceptions, is rallying around the President; the attempt at a “rush to judgment” has been stalled. Parliament was to consider a motion for impeachment Dec 13. There are multiple prongs of this regime-change effort, including a Reserve Bank inquiry and one or more court cases; the failure of impeachment will not end the operation.

The whistle-blower was Arthur Fraser, director general of the State Security Agency, 2016-2018, with connections to foreign intelligence services. It is suspicious that the farm break-in allegedly occurred in Feb. 2020, yet Fraser waited until June 2022 to lodge a criminal complaint—after Ramaphosa had made clear South Africa would not accept Anglo-American demands that he support their proxy war against Russia.

London gave orders to go in for the kill on the last day of Ramaphosa’s state visit to Britain. On Nov. 24, The Economist, mouthpiece of the City of London, launched a broadside against Ramaphosa’s “despicable” view of the war in Ukraine, using an invited guest column by South African former opposition leader Tony Leon and professional liar and mega-speculator Bill Browder. They charge that Ramaphosa is controlled by lucrative deals with Russia, rather than by “morality,” enumerating examples of South Africa’s refusal to side with NATO against Russia—instead maintaining a sovereign, independent foreign policy.

South African Energy Minister: ‘Eskom Agitating for Overthrow of the State’

The South African Electricity Supply Commission (Eskom), “by not attending to load shedding [rotating power outages], is actively agitating for the overthrow of the state,” said Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe in Johannesburg Dec. 8. The highest level of load shedding ever in the country, Stage 6, is now (again) in effect. Mantashe was quoted by eNCA television as asking whether the high level of frustration over the constant losses of electricity could not lead to a coup against the current government.

With these words, Mantashe accuses the management of Eskom of complicity in the high level of load shedding—a level that makes a large contribution to BRICS member South Africa’s deindustrialization and gives impetus for social unrest.

He said he would welcome the return of Eskom to his portfolio, according to News24 Dec. 8. It is currently under Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, who is known to be steered by the Mark Carney/Klaus Schwab gangsters promoting poverty.

Gordhan is protecting Eskom CEO André De Ruyter, who was put in because he lacks the needed qualifications. Mantashe has frequently identified De Ruyter as unqualified, and has said that Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer, an engineer, would know what to do.

Mantashe’s accusation was rejected by Mark Swilling, Distinguished Professor of Sustainable Development at Stellenbosch University. Swilling, interviewed Dec. 8 on Newzroom Afrika, was asked whether there was any evidence to back up Mantashe’s charge. “There is none whatsoever,” Swilling asserted.

But Swilling is a proud member of the Club of Rome, which demands a deindustrialized world with only Bambi and a few people in it.

Swilling is in the second generation of the Eddie Webster/Michael Burawoy open conspiracy, operating under the pretext of “research interests.” They were linked to Gene Sharp in the U.S., who worked with the Pentagon to develop the concept of color revolutions as a substitute for military action. EIR exposed Webster and Burawoy in its Jan. 16, 2015 issue.

CFR Goes Berserk Over Nigerian President Buhari’s Op-Ed on ‘Climate Change’

The scathing op-ed by President Buhari of Nigeria in the Washington Post Nov. 9, “How Not To Talk with Africa about Climate Change,” was timed to coincide with COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Nov. 6-18.

President Buhari referred to the disastrous flooding—that had just forced more than 1.4 million Nigerians from their homes—to make the point that building infrastructure for adaptation to nature is far better than building windmills and solar panels.

Speaking for all of Africa, he accused the West of using Africa to pay for the sins of the West: “Many of my peers are frustrated with Western hypocrisy … According to the United Nations, Africa is the continent worst affected by climate change despite contributing the least to it … We are not the problem. Yet the continent needs a reliable source of power if it is to pull millions out of poverty and create jobs for its burgeoning youth population … Don’t tell Africa that the world cannot afford the climate costs of its hydrocarbons—then fire up coal stations whenever Europe feels the pinch. Don’t tell the poorest in the world that their marginal energy use will break the carbon budget … It gives the impression your citizens have more of a right to energy than Africans.”

The U.S. Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) replied to Buhari on its blog Nov. 15, in a post by Nigerian-born Ebenezer Obadare, a CFR senior fellow trained at the London School of Economics, in a piece titled, “The Great Climate Justice Blackmail,” with the blurb: “World Leaders should rebuff President Muhammadu Buhari’s attempt at moral intimidation.” In condescending tones, it begins: “The climate change crisis, a truly global emergency if ever there was one, need not degenerate into diplomatic finger-pointing and crass moralizing. Yet, it would seem that Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is intent on turning it into one.

“His recent article in the Washington Post is ecological populism in the service of moral extortion, and is unbecoming of a president whose seven years at the apex of political power in Africa’s most important country have redefined the art of political abdication.” Seething with contempt for Africa, Obadare tries a psychological trick: “The West must fall on its knees and apologize to Africa ... No doubt, Buhari’s rhetoric will warm hearts in certain quarters, especially among those who somehow imagine that sympathy for African countries is incompatible with a rigorous demand for accountability. It is a familiar mode of exculpation, a denial of African agency whose ultimate logic is moral infantilization.”

And the revealing final sentence: “In the small matter of climate change, Western governments must do what is good, rather than feels good.” The CFR evaded Buhari’s argument: it seems to mean that Africa has joined in the Belt and Road but we, the CFR, do not intend to allow it.

China Donates Agricultural Center to Nigeria To Spread Its Own Success

China handed over a new Agricultural Demonstration Center to Nigeria near Abuja on December 6. The new center is in a research park that includes the existing Agricultural Technology Research and Service Center.

At the ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria Cui Jainchun said: “Today’s event is really very important not only to Nigeria but also to the whole African continent.” Referring to China’s feat of eliminating domestic poverty, Cui said, “This is my great concern and efforts that make me try to do things for Nigeria, and the most important thing now is agriculture.”

Accepting the donation, Nigeria’s Chief Planning Officer for International Cooperation, Fatima Sheji, said the project was timely, as Nigeria is working to improve the quality of Nigeria’s agricultural products for export. Sheji said the skills acquired at the center will improve the agricultural value chain, and so address food insecurity.