As the world witnesses geopolitical shifts, has Africa lost its voice?

As the world continues to witness huge geopolitical shifts and changes, along with a new division of East and West, all with potentially enormous impacts and ramifications, Africa seems to be remarkably quiet. Why?

The fault lines between the East and the West are growing, and Africa, which ought to be a power bloc on its own but isn’t, sits by and watches helplessly as we hurtle towards an increasingly bleak future.

Choosing sides

One voice that has been heard is that of South Africa as our government is usually choosing sides instead of fixing what it has broken in the country. It is ironic that, while claiming it supports peace and progress, the government chooses sides.

Perhaps it ought to simply encourage both parties to resolve their differences while it focuses on the unfolding disaster here at home. The politics of deflection have a way of becoming the politics of disaster.

Russia, who our government fully supports in its so-called Special Military Operation, has not only threatened the UK and Europe, but it also planned to go to war with Japan in 2021, several months before it invaded Ukraine instead.

The Russian anger is directed at the Kuril Islands which Russia maintains belongs to her. Fortunately for Japan, Russia set its imperial sights elsewhere.

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Japan

Japan is a major investor in South Africa. Imagine a South Africa with no Toyotas, Nissans, Lexus, Mitsubishi, and others. Yet, we will stand with Russia, and despite our claims of non-partisanship, the government will disadvantage South Africa, while proclaiming its actions are all done in our name

China has likewise flexed its muscles when it comes to the South China Sea and Taiwan. Apart from naval exercises and regular Chinese fighter aircraft intrusions into Taiwan’s airspace, surveillance ballons are regularly launched across Taiwan.

It too has made veiled threats at invading Taiwan., which it considers a renegade province, and fully unifying it with China. This will create a major flashpoint that may, in conjunction with Russia’s military adventures, plunge us into an even greater international crisis. And of course, this will negatively impact us all, our grand, untouchable criminal elite included.

SA case at ICJ

Then, of course, the taxpayers must fund South Africa’s dragging of Israel to the ICJ, while our fiscus and the JSE have seen a steady erosion. Whereas the unfolding tragedy in Gaza, and the Hamas mini-war and Israel are shocking events in the Middle East, perhaps our government should rather consider the unfolding wanton murders and violent crimes that have become the norm in South Africa, instead of trying to solve the problems of others.

We, too, are experiencing a criminal orchestrated genocide that targets all of our people. The Huthis of Yemen have attacked shipping in the Red Sea and declared war on the US and the West after several Houthi gunboats were sank – gunboats that threatened to disrupt and close shipping lanes and international trade.

International retaliation against the Huthis is already under discussion. North Korea has flexed its muscles and also threatened the US with war and nuclear strikes. It has also altered its posture from a semi-passive state to one close to a national war footing.

Membership of Brics has soared in attempts to weaken the US dollar from international business hegemony. This is a year in which numerous national elections will take place, and it could result in an even greater faultline between the East and the West.

Growing misery

With many predictions already being made of pending chaos and disaster, along with many “what ifs,” Africa is holding its collective breath, and voice. Could it be that Africa is afraid of one-sided condemnation?

Does Africa not realise these unfolding and predicated events could plunge the continent into even greater misery?

Within South Africa, our misery grows daily, yet our government attempts to position itself as a state capable of projecting influence and power, while it ignores the plight of its citizens.

Africa ought to unite and create its own power bloc. Then we will be able to influence international events we are so quick to criticise.

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