Natural resources of discord - New chapter of French neocolonialism

The leading Mexican publication El Universal published an article by international politics and security specialist, Professor Talya Ishjan, entitled “The Natural Resources of Discord: The New Chapter of French Neocolonialism.”

Today.az presents the translation of the article with reference to Day.Az:

After scandalous failures in Africa that led to France's expulsion from countries such as Mali and Niger, France appears to be facing another major challenge in its overseas territories, particularly New Caledonia. We have become accustomed to the shameful level of double standards and hypocrisy of the Macron administration, known for its clumsy movements on the international stage. However, the situation in New Caledonia, the land of the Kanak people, is even more alarming and surprises even the most experienced analysts.

Historically a French colony, New Caledonia fought for its independence. In recent decades, agreements have been reached with the French government to avoid complete assimilation of the Kanak people and to ensure their proper participation in the political life of New Caledonia. However, the Macron administration decided to break these agreements by lifting restrictions on the voting rights of French migrants in the region, dramatically increasing the French majority on the islands to dominate the country's political agenda.

The move is reminiscent of previous scandals in African countries, where France's interest in remote regions is no coincidence. These small islands contain 30% of the world's nickel reserves, which is becoming increasingly important in current technological developments. This situation can be described by the famous French phrase "déjà vu": once again France is suppressing a nation with vast natural resources and oppressing its indigenous population.

The bungling of French politicians and the misguided actions of the Macron administration quickly escalated the situation in New Caledonia, leading to mass protests and violence against demonstrators. The French response included the deployment of a contingent of 1,000 gendarmes and police, which only worsened tensions and resulted in five confirmed deaths, plunging the territory into a deep crisis. Surprisingly, the French interior minister openly accused Azerbaijan, a small republic in the South Caucasus thousands of kilometers away, of fomenting these unrest, accusing it of interfering in France's internal affairs.

Leaving aside the illogicality of a nuclear power and permanent member of the UN Security Council blaming a small state like Azerbaijan for destabilizing its outlying territories, we see a pattern of an emotional approach, very “à la Macron”, to foreign relations. France, which was once the official “mediator” in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, has shown its true intentions by supporting Armenia and its revanchist circles, openly attacking Azerbaijan for the liberation of its internationally recognized territories.

The French Senate even adopted a resolution calling on the government to recognize part of Azerbaijan as independent of it. The French executive, including Macron, has launched a campaign to discredit Azerbaijan in numerous forums, including the UN. These efforts failed miserably, leaving Paris increasingly disillusioned. France then openly declared its intention to help Armenia develop and update its military, with the French ambassador in the Armenian capital promising "the best weapons of the French military industry" for Armenia.

Azerbaijan's reaction was clear and adequate, strongly rejecting all accusations and rightly accusing France of double standards and interference. It is curious that some French legislators, supported by a strong Armenian diaspora in this country, absurdly called for sanctions against Azerbaijan for the liberation of its own territories.

It is important to note that Azerbaijan is the fifth largest supplier of natural gas to Europe, providing important energy to the east of the continent, which has been largely dependent on Russian gas. In addition, French energy giant Total has contracts with the Azerbaijani government for energy projects.

While France continues to teach other countries how to govern their territories, it faces serious problems of suppressing minorities and indigenous populations both in France and in its territories such as Corsica, where France, among other things, prohibits locals from speaking English. their native language, and in the cases of New Caledonia and French Polynesia, some of the few remaining examples of neo-colonialism.

After many years of the Macron administration, we have become accustomed to its failures on the international stage, despite desperate attempts to blame others for its own mistakes. It led to unprecedented rhetoric between the leaders of France and Italy, highlighting growing tensions as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni responded to Macron's attacks by accusing him of betrayal amid disputes over immigration policy. Italy has criticized France for its approach to distributing migrants throughout Europe. This also damages the French image not only in the region but also in the world. How much more can France endure before facing even greater consequences from the Macron administration's rash decisions?