By Giwa SHILE
Deputy Prime Minister, Luigi Di-Maio, on Monday reiterated that France’s policies in Africa were creating poverty and causing migration, hours after France summoned the Italian ambassador to Paris to protest his assertions.
“France is one of those countries that by printing money for 14 African states prevents their economic development and contributes to the fact that the refugees leave and then die in the sea or arrive on our coasts,” Di-Maio said.
Di-Maio was referring to the CFA franc — a currency used in 14 west and central African nations, which is tied to the euro at a fixed exchange rate, with the peg guaranteed by France.
Di-Maio, who leads the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, said the EU should “address the question of the decolonisation of Africa”, accusing France of still treating a number of African countries as vassal states.
France’s foreign ministry on Monday summoned Italy’s ambassador following comments by Di-Maio accusing Paris of making Africa poorer and suggesting the EU should sanctioned France.
“Following the latest comments by Italian authorities, the ambassador was summoned,” said a French diplomatic source. “It’s not the first time the Italian authorities have made unacceptable and aggressive comments.”
Ambassador Teresa Castaldo was summoned earlier on Monday afternoon by the chief of staff of the European Affairs Minister, Nathalie Loiseau, the source added.
He has blamed France for the European migrant crisis, accusing it of impoverishing African nations with “colonialist” policies and promised to take the issue to the EU and other international bodies.
Di-Maio launched a scathing attack on France, which he argued is to blame for the inherent causes of the ongoing migrant crisis at EU borders.
The politician, who also serves as the minister of economic development, referred to the CFA franc, a currency which is used in 14 former French colonies in West and Central Africa.
While it is credited for providing African countries with financial stability, it has often been criticised as a relic of colonial times by proponents of Africa’s full independence from France.
They argue that the CFA franc, created in 1945, impedes their economic development as they have no say in French or European monetary policy.
“The place of Africans is in Africa and not at the bottom of the sea,” he stated.
Di-Maio further argued that France would fall far back in the international economic rankings if not for its leverage over its former colonies.
“If France did not have the African colonies, which it is impoverishing, it would be the 15th international economic power and instead it is among the first for what it is doing in Africa,’’ he said.
France is currently the world’s seventh-largest economy, according to World Bank data for 2017, and the third-biggest economy in Europe after Germany and the UK.
Di Maio said that his party would submit a proposal to parliament to punish France in the coming weeks.
Di-Maio said that he should stop lecturing Italy on morals while his government continue to exploit African nations.
Last summer, Macron chastized the Italian government for its refusal to pick up migrants stranded at sea, with his spokesman calling the policy “sickening” and “unacceptable.”
Italy brushed off the criticism, accusing the French government of hypocrisy.
Relations between the French and Italian governments were already strained, with Di-Maio – along with anti-immigrant Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini – voicing their support for Yellow Vest protests that have plagued Macron’s government since November.——Reuters
