US national security adviser John Bolton on Thursday condemned the behavior of Beijing and Moscow in Africa, saying his country would suspend its financial aid and refrain from supporting useless UN peacekeeping missions.
Bolton, in presenting Donald Trump’s “new strategy” on the African continent, sought to adapt it to the slogan “America First”. Washington does not pay much attention to the continent that Trump is attacking some of its countries.
Be the first to know – Join our Facebook page
The new strategy in Africa could be suspicious of international institutions, vowing to cut spending on American taxpayers’ money, and a competition that brings to mind the Cold War with US adversaries.
“The major competing powers, China and Russia, are rapidly expanding their financial and political influence across Africa and are deliberately and intensively investing in the region to increase their advantages compared to the United States,” Bolton told the Washington-based conservative Heritage Foundation, Bribes “and” vague agreements “and China’s use of debt to” keep African countries hostage “or even” Russian plundering of natural resources.”
Criticism of the United Nations
He went on to criticize the behavior of China and Russia, which he described as “aggressive” and said it was hampering economic growth in Africa and “a major threat to US national interests.”
But while the US government asserts – like all its predecessors – that it wishes the prosperity, independence and governance of African countries, its policy seems to open the door to disengaging from the continent, at least in its traditional form.
Bolton said the United States, which consistently makes counterterrorism a priority, wants African nations to take responsibility for its security. It will call for “rationalization, review or termination” of United Nations missions that do not lead to the establishment of “lasting peace”.
“Our goal is to resolve conflicts, not to freeze them indefinitely,” he said. The former US ambassador to the United Nations and one of the hawks of anti-pluralism foreign policy, for example, cited the United Nations Operation in Western Sahara (UNOSOM), noting that he co-founded it in 1991 while working for the US State Department.
Be the first to know – Follow us on Twitter @Saxafi
Asked about the comments, UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Aziz Haq said he was “not aware of imminent cuts in the budget (of peace operations) from member states.” “Our mandates are set by the members of the Security Council” and it is their responsibility to adjust them if necessary.
On a broader scale, Bolton promised to review US economic aid “quickly” to ensure that it achieves results, while Trump seeks to cut funds for external programs.
“Unfortunately, billions and billions of US taxpayers’ money have not yielded the desired results,” Bolton said. “From now on, the United States will not tolerate this tradition of providing aid without results, unaccountable aid, and support without reform.”
In South Sudan, which has experienced civil war after receiving significant US aid, Bolton said, “We will not provide more US loans or resources to the Government of Southern Sudan led by morally bankrupt leaders who perpetrate this terrible violence.”
“This approach seems to be particularly unhelpful for me and threatens to bring our potential partners closer to Beijing,” said Abraham Danmark, an expert at the Wilson Center for Terrorism on Twitter, “We can not care about Africa for its advantages without making it a pawn in the big chess game with China.”
