Breaking News from the AES
The political, cultural, economic, and social achievements in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)
In September of 2023, the leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger officially created the Alliance of Sahel States. This revolutionary alliance commits to the development of the Sahel by rejecting its plunder for the development of the West.
Since its founding, the AES has set a new African standard: a singular commitment towards auto-centric development. Mali, Burkina, and Niger—in their so-far short yet revolutionary union—have already made monumental strides in debunking the racist myth that Africa cannot survive independently, further proving the veracity of Kwame Nkrumah’s famous statement: “Neo-colonialism is not a sign of imperialism’s strength but rather of its last hideous gasp.”
Beginning just 3 months after the formation of the alliance, Burkina Faso’s National Society of Precious Substances (SONASP) began buying gold. Between January and August of 2024, SONASP purchased 13.049 tons of gold. This purchase of Gold— an integral resource in the Burkinabé economy— may indicate a few things, all being signs of dedicated auto-centric leadership. The gold may be used to hedge against inflation, stabilize and strengthen national currency, or signal future investment in gold markets. It most probably means all three.
On October 5th, 2024, Burkina President Ibrahim Traoré announced Burkina would revoke mining permits of many multinational companies, emphasizing: “I do not understand why we know how to exploit gold and we let multinationals come and exploit our gold. We will do it ourselves.” President Traore, a popular, young titan amongst his citizens, has declared that Burkina Faso can mine Burkinabé gold sans multinational assistance.
In more good news out of Burkina Faso, the construction of a Bobo-Dioulasso Hospital should be complete by March 2025, proving once again that true African development can only come from collective African efforts. Bobo-Dioulasso is the second largest city in the country, and the state-of-the-art hospital, referred to as “the Jewel,” is currently 80% complete. The project is a 500-bed teaching hospital that will have 17 different buildings, including, but not limited to an emergency department, hospitalization services, medical technology, logistical support facilities, and apartments for medical experts. A Burkinabé construction worker commented, “Everyday I wake up knowing that I am a part of something great. Something that will leave a lasting impact on our people. This project is more than just a construction project for me and my colleagues. It’s a symbol of hope and of what we can achieve together as a nation.” He added, “We are not just laborers. We are builders of our country’s future. Every piece of equipment we install, every wall we raise, we are building something that will last long after we are gone. We are creating something that our children will benefit from and that is something we should all be proud of. This hospital will provide care for those in Bobo-Dioulasso and for all those around the city as well.”
Finally, Burkina Faso continues to make military strides against the legion of armed mercenaries unleashed on Africa after Barack Obama’s continent-destabilizing assassination of Muammar Gaddafi. As a result, the Yatenga Province of Burkina Faso—previously tormented by terrorism— expects to produce over 80 tons of rice due to improved security.
“All of the countries named as ‘underdeveloped’ in the world are exploited by others; and the underdevelopment with which the world is now pre-occupied is a product of capitalist, imperialist and colonialist exploitation. African and Asian societies were developing independently until they were taken over directly or indirectly by the capitalist powers. When that happened, exploitation increased and the export of surplus ensued, depriving the societies of the benefit of their natural resources and labour. That is an integral part of underdevelopment in a contemporary sense.” - Walter Rodney, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa.