ASHMINDER KAUR: Omicron: Africa's ineffective voice

In September 2021, France recalled its ambassadors to America and Australia in protest over a new security pact between Australia, the UK and US (Aukus) that cancelled a £65 billion submarine deal between France and Australia.

Spooked by China, Australia wanted advanced US nuclear submarines for its defence. Besides, the French were over-budget and years behind schedule.

The French reaction was branded “le sulk” by British newspapers. But it was effective in registering France’s protest and sending senior officials, including the US Vice President, scampering to Paris to placate them. Point made.

In November 2021, South Africa identified the Omicron variant of Covid-19 and alerted the world, only to be punished by the West slamming its borders on South Africa and five other Southern African countries; a huge blow to economies struggling to emerge from the Covid decimation of last year.

Travel bans imposed by the EU, UK, US and others following their lead, happened despite African criticism and the WHO stating this was an excessive “blunt blanket measure” placing a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods.

On one hand, such bans are understandable faced with a variant of unknown severity. On the other hand, similar bans were not imposed on non-African countries with Omicron cases, including the US, Canada, European states, HK and Asian nations. The country of origin of Omicron is unknown.

Omicron appears to be several times less severe than other Covid strains, more like a flu, or as Russian President Putin observed, Omicron may act like a “live vaccine”, effectively protecting against more severe Covid strains. Data is still being collected.

What is painful for Africa is that the West has brutally placed clearly discriminatory travel bans on Africa. These bans may stem from a negative perception of Africa and its ability to handle diseases. There’s also a perception Africa won’t hit back and any reaction will be ineffective and won’t hurt other countries. This means politicians can look tough domestically by hitting a continent that rarely fights back.

What would the reaction have been if Southern African nations, or Africa as a whole, recalled its ambassadors, suspended trade talks with countries banning them and imposed hard-hitting selective trade sanctions and punitive taxes, eg on raw materials; for example, Niger exports uranium that allows France to generate 50 per cent of its electricity (while Niger has poor electricity supply).

The reaction may have been that Africa was finally getting its act together and not going to be pushed around or blindly follow others. That Africa could take actions to punish others for discriminatory and unfair practices. That would send a message. That message would have an impact.

Words alone are simply not enough when so much is at stake. Lives and livelihoods of African nations are being crushed by discriminatory and unfair practices and a far stronger African response is needed.

Maybe it’s also time to recall ambassadors from Saudi Arabia given the number of Kenyans working there coming home in body bags and receiving brutal treatment. A stronger African response is needed, because protests and our ambassador have not succeeded.

How about pressure on the International Olympic Committee and sports bodies to stop transgender males competing in women’s sports? One just broke all women’s college swimming records in the US. A united boycott of sports events and recall of officials is essential to protect African women from a Western ‘wokiban’ assault on women’s identity, rights and opportunities. How about taking the UN and West’s undemocratic, savage, sexist, truth-defying redefinition of women to international courts?

African nations have to decide if they are rule and value takers or makers and equal players on the world stage. No one is stopping them acting. It’s a competitive rough world that gives no quarter and African nations need to start standing up, speaking louder and acting tougher in their national interest. We know what happens to kids who don’t stand up to the big boys. Time to send a much stronger message.