Baku-hosted int’l conference focuses on impact of French neocolonialism in Africa

An international conference themed "French Neocolonialism Policy in Africa" kicked off Thursday in Baku.

Organized by the Baku Initiative Group, the event brings together representatives from African countries, including Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritania, Zimbabwe, Niger, as well as representatives France and from French-administered island of Mayotte, News.Az reports.

This conference follows a previous gathering in Baku on July 17-18 , where leaders from over 15 political parties and movements advocating for independence in regions affected by French colonialism convened. Organized by the People's Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe with the support of BIG, this earlier Congress aimed to unite voices from territories such as Corsica, Melanesia, Polynesia, and various Caribbean islands.

The initiative stemmed from political groups seeking independence for France's overseas territories. Notably, representatives from Bonaire and Saint-Martin, Dutch colonies, attended as guests of honor.

During the Congress, participants engaged in discussions about strategies for a unified response to French colonialism, as well as methods to promote self-determination and raise awareness of the French government’s alleged human rights abuses against indigenous populations.

Established on July 6, 2023, during a ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement chaired by Azerbaijan, the Baku Initiative Group has been instrumental in supporting independence movements worldwide. BIG has organized around 15 international conferences, including sessions at UN headquarters in New York, Geneva, and Vienna, as well as in Istanbul and Baku, to highlight colonialism as a pressing global issue in the 21st century.

News.Az