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The choice of BRICS+, a solution for some
Hello everyone,
The APROFED association is coming back to you this week on the options available to New Caledonia regarding its institutional future ; a topic that will soon be discussed in Paris between the local and metropolitan governments.
If the association advocates the continuity of the federal solution with France (solution n°1) established in the 80s with the Matignon-Oudinot agreements , the reaction of the State, like the Barcelona case in Spain, shows little hope to be expected from this side, in particular from the right-wing central and local government. This is why the association has allowed itself to propose a second solution (solution n°2) aimed at getting closer to our Pacific neighbors , with a view to constituting, still within the framework of a federal solution, the Oceanian alternative to Victor Hugo’s wish, namely “the United States of Oceania”, replacing the attachment of France and the European Union to other nations and supra-nations of the same size as Australia, New Zealand and behind them the United States.
It would seem, however, that the Kanak independence supporters have opted for a third solution, that of the Brics+ , with the creation of the Baku group in Azerbaijan. The aim behind this is to seek political support from the Russian Federation, and on the economic level from China, which would be one of the candidates for a possible takeover of the shares of the Nickel du Nord (KNS) plant. The rallying of the Caledonian independence MP to the GDR group within the National Assembly illustrates this thinking well. As a reminder, the GDR group is a parliamentary group present in the assembly made up essentially of communists to which a large number of overseas elected officials have rallied.
This rapprochement of Kanak independence fighters with BRICS+ is an extension of that of other Melanesian archipelagos such as the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, etc., which have led Western nations (France, Australia, the United States, etc.) to emerge from their indifference towards these states. The latter obtain funding in exchange for abandoning certain projects aimed at installing security forces on their soil, or even military bases of Chinese origin, returning to a risky game played during the last Cold War consisting of opposing the great powers against each other to obtain certain advantages.
The association invites you to read four articles on the role of Russia in particular in the confrontation between the great powers during the period of decolonization, which it strongly supported:
Militarizing Africa: The Soviet Origins of a Russian Doctrine | Le Grand Continent
The Little-Known History of Russian Military Interventions in the Middle East – Nikolai Surkov
The USSR’s Support Policy – World History
We learn in particular that:
– Both the United States and the USSR hold an anti-colonial discourse, promising equal support for the principle of self-determination.
– Decolonization was first and foremost the result of the struggle of the peoples and the weakening of the great British and French colonial empires in 1939-1945. London and Paris even had to promise many countries under their yoke to free them once the conflict was over, to prevent them from rising up. The end of the war also saw the advent of many independences.
– although both the British and French empires planned the independence of some of their colonies under the supervision of the United Nations (UN), France would nevertheless try to hold on to part of its colonial empire at the cost of two major wars, in Indochina and Algeria
– The two empires will strive to prolong their tutelage by means of “neocolonial” economic mechanisms (sterling zone and CFA franc zone), in the face of very strong competition from the United States and its dollar.
– all the states of the world are thus encouraged to ally themselves with one of the two blocs, American or Soviet
– the two superpowers combine seduction, through economic and technological aid as well as the delivery of weapons, and intimidation, or even, if necessary, direct military intervention
– decolonization will lead to the emergence of a “third world,” from this third global “camp” will emerge a “non-alignment.” This non-alignment is not, however, absolute. The members of the Movement do not renounce aid from Washington or Moscow; many poor countries continue to choose to align their policies with those of the West or the socialist bloc.
– Russia supported decolonization in Africa, the Middle East, etc. in order to counter Western influence on the continent and strengthen its prestige,
– Russia supported the struggles against colonial domination, for whom colonies were sources of raw materials and international prestige,
– She also supported the armed struggle against the white minority at the root of the apartheid system and police violence against black people peacefully demonstrating against discrimination against them,
– This support is materialized in the provision of high-quality weapons and guerrilla-style campaigns, as well as funds and military training on Russian soil to the liberation movements.
– the influx of weapons for the guerrillas helped maintain pressure on the colonial armies, ultimately contributing to the discontent of the officers of these armies and the end of colonial conflicts through independence,
– Russia used its naval capabilities to support friendly regimes and liberation movements. The latter had a history of sending troops to help its allies in difficulty in the event of aggression by Western powers,
– Russia provided military support in exchange for critical minerals, depriving Western companies of these resources,
– Russia tends to respond to countries seeking to build independent armed forces and economies
– for Russia, strengthening the independence of emerging countries made it possible to alter the Western camp’s access to major traffic and commercial transport routes
– during the Cold War, the USSR and China encouraged armed resistance in emerging countries with a view to achieving victories against Western imperialism, while striving to control the new regimes,
Representing nearly half of the world’s population and 40% of global GDP, the Brics+ are beginning to constitute a real alternative to Western nations. The desire for a multipolar world and greater justice, particularly in North-South relations, is an attraction for a large number of states wishing to integrate this new group . It remains to be seen whether this umpteenth attempt at change at the global level will be more successful than previous ones (Third World, Non-Aligned Movement, Global South, etc.). The idea of a new international political institution, of the League of Nations type (predecessor of the UN) based on the member and partner countries from the Brics+ could be the next step, emptying the current UN of its substantial marrow, thus allowing countries hitherto excluded from the Security Council of Nations to integrate a new one.
The New Development Bank (NBD) based in Shanghai and headed by a Brazilian with a capital of 100 billion dollars and a lending capacity of up to 350 billion without constraints, unlike the IMF, is already attracting many emerging countries. Considering themselves slaves of France 1 , eager to free themselves, the overseas populations might be tempted to turn to this organization to buy back their freedoms. As a reminder, the annual GDP of New Caledonia is 10 billion dollars and that of all French overseas territories is 75 billion annually. The NBD would therefore be largely capable of lending money to these territories with a view to freeing themselves and developing thereafter.
Thus, like the myth of the Judgment of Paris in ancient Greece, New Caledonia is presented with three options. Choosing BRICS+ risks incurring the wrath of the other two major powers and isolating and creating difficulties for a Caledonia that has certainly become free and independent. This is why the association has opted for only two solutions on its website.
We wish you a good read and remind you that federalism is the only solution to reconcile unity in diversity.
The APROFED association