Touadéra: the migrant crisis in Europe is the result of “looting” in Africa

Central African President Faustin Archange Touadéra told the United Nations General Assembly that the migrant crisis in Europe was the result of “looting” of natural resources in Africa and “Western imperialism”, highlighting the devastating consequences of these actions on the African continent.

During his speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Central African President Faustin Archange Touadéra highlighted the links between the massive movements of African migrants to Europe and Africa’s history marked by slavery , colonization, Western imperialism, terrorism and internal armed conflicts.

Touadéra expressed dismay over the influx of thousands of African migrants to Italy’s Lampedusa island, describing the situation as an “escalation of the migrant crisis.” He insisted that these desperate migrations were largely due to poverty resulting from the dispossession of African countries’ natural resources.

The Central African president pointed out the involvement of major world powers in these problems, citing “hegemonic aims” and “geopolitical tensions” as factors contributing to the suffering of the African continent.

“A merciless war” against smugglers

The previous week, thousands of migrants, mainly of African origin, had reached the Italian island of Lampedusa, located near the North African coast. In response, the President of the Italian Council, Giorgia Meloni, called on the United Nations to launch “a merciless war” against smugglers, emphasizing Italy’s determination to fight the “slave traders of the third millennium”.

Giorgia Meloni also blamed “mafias” and said Italy was committed to tackling the root causes of the migration crisis by helping African countries develop economically.