Standing Against Potential ECOWAS Military Action in Niger

All of us at The Boys & Girls Club of Senegal are deeply concerned about the possible use of military force by ECOWAS in Africa. At a time when we need to be promoting healing and unity, the prospect of initiating violence and war, leading to the tragic loss of innocent lives, is nothing short of horrifying.

The wealth of Africa lies in its huge untapped potential, much of which is located in our abundant raw materials. Instead of allowing these resources to be depleted, they need to be used to foster industrial growth and ensure consistent food supply for all African communities. We must rally together, now more than ever, to confront the looming threat of terrorism that could potentially destabilize our home.

When we look closely at the current state of affairs in Africa, it’s hard not to question the priorities of our leaders. Are we doing enough to invest in industrial evolution and the improvement of our raw materials that fuel our economies? Why does Africa continue to serve as a source of cheap raw materials in this age of rapid technological advances? Isn’t it time for Africa to begin turning these raw materials into valuable products within our own borders, thereby disrupting the detrimental cycle of global trade dependencies?

As proud Africans, we believe our top priority today should be to stop our continent’s raw materials from being plundered and assure that their profits stay within our territories. Attacking fellow African nations or endangering the lives of our people through military conflict should not be on our agenda.

We strongly oppose the potential military action in Niger and we ask all Africans to showcase their unity and solidarity by fostering peace rather than supporting conflict against our brothers and sisters in other African countries.

We need to concentrate on transforming Africa’s raw materials and pursuing economic independence, as opposed to planning for divisive wars that set Africans against one another.  Natty Ndate Beye, Founder, Boys & Girls Clubs of Senegal