african affairs

The African continent has been the location of some of the bloodiest and violent conflicts of recent decades. In Rwanda, for example, there was genocide on an unprecedented scale. In Europe and the USA there has been strong criticism of international organisations such as the United Nations for their slowness in reacting to crises in Rwanda and Somalia. However, from another point of view it could be argued that non-African organisations and former colonial powers (such as France and Britain) have no legitimate role to play in African politics and African conflicts.

Should foreign countries intervene in African affairs?
 
Africa does not have a unified body that can react to crises: Only neighbouring countries in Africa are able to respond to crises in time to sort them out before they can become international incidents. A case in point was during an uprising in the kingdom of Lesotho (Southern Africa), where South Africa sent in troops and was able to stabilise the country and restore the rightful ruler, thus preventing what could have degenerated into the civil wars we see elsewhere on the continent.
 
Foreign countries should not intervene in African affairs, because their affairs are solely theirs to deal with. The affairs of African nations are exactly that: their affairs. These are independent sovereign nations that need to determine their affairs and execute the policies they desire. To interfere, without a direct invitation, is just a continuation of imperialistic policies that exploited and retarded the development of these lands. To do so also smacks of racist attitudes that have no basis.
 
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