The French President Comment to Africa Countries at G-20 Summit

French President Emmanuel Macron said this at the G-20 meeting about Africa countries, "When countries still have seven to eight children per woman, you can decide to spend billions of euros, but you will not stabilize anything."

First, one needs to stop being emotional about this comment from the French President and respond back objectively. Such a comment above is not new to Africans. We keep hearing this over and over. I see many people are upset because we were not expecting such a comment from Emmanuel Macron. It is a fact that some European governments and corporations are exploiting the continent, so it is upsetting to hear this at times from Europeans. But when you respond with your emotions, you repeat the same old answers the world keep hearing any time a foreigner comment about Africa.

Second, considering the birth rate of Africa countries and our limited resources as at now, it makes sense to control birth. According to the United Nations Population Divisions, Africa has about 1.2 billion people. Our population is growing by 30 million a year, and it is projected increase by 42 million annually by 2050. Our population will double to 2.4 billion according to UN report. About 3.5 million people are born per month, and 80 people are born per minute. The sad reality is that, while our population is growing, we have not been able to expand our resources to meet the needs of our community. If we cannot produce resources for our own needs, then it makes sense to control our population.

Currently, we export more foods, goods, and services outside of Africa than what we produce. It is not that we have limited resources, but we lack the capacity to expand our resources to meet our needs. So based on this current happening, the French President may have a point on his statement above. However, his statement shows a naive view of Africa problems as a whole. Our problems are complex from corruption, illegal mining and fishing to poor education, health, multinational exploitation, tribalism, coup d'tat and others. I am not certain he was blaming entirely high birth rate as a result of all Africa countries problems, but if that is what he means, then he needs some lessons.

Let France stop depending on French countries in Africa today, and I promise France will be a third world country by 2020, all things being equal. In the French countries across Africa, if a leader opposes France, they overthrow these leaders by using weak, naive and lack of vision soldiers. They have succeeded with this tactics for many years, and it seems to work for them well. Today, Ghana share boundaries with three French countries (Togo, Burkina Faso, and Cote D' Ivoire) but these countries are closer to France than Ghana because these countries have been made to believe that, you MUST align to France more than any state or face the French wrath. French countries leaders rather serve France than the people, all things being equal. If they do not do it, they will be gone in few days.

Therefore, France has no moral right to talk about Africa issues. Let them leave Africa today, and the French countries will be better than what we see now. France is like "tick on a cow skin" when it comes to its relationship with Africa countries. The tick has to be attached to the cow body else it can't survive. Africa will consider Emmanuel Macron comment if your country leaves our continent. If you stand by your principles that elected you as the President of France, why don't you act on the same principles to let France end the colonial occupation in Africa?