Africa won't allow West to exploit it – Zambian politician to RT

Africa doesn't need to succumb to the “bad deals” offered it by Western nations, because it now has more choice geopolitically and wants to be treated with equal respect, Zambian Socialist party chairwoman Akende M'membe Chundama has said.

Speaking to RT on Monday, Chundama claimed the West “does not want a united Africa.” 

The US "wants to dictate to us [Africans] who our friends should be, who Africa should cooperate with,” she explained, adding that Washington is “willing to topple governments, to assassinate our leaders for this."

Africa now wants to be treated as equals at the table, and Russia and China offer that to Africa.

Chundama noted that Russia had come to help Zambia fight for its independence at a time when Zambia had “nothing” to offer Moscow.

Asked about the Western narrative of an African “debt-trap” with China, Chundama said the notion is “laughable,” dismissing it as “Western propaganda.” She pointed to the fact that 70% of Zambia’s foreign debt, for instance, is to the West, not China, and argued that the terms of investment African nations receive from China are “much more favorable” and result in more tangible results on the continent.

Africa can see where the debt is going, she said. “It’s for infrastructure development, we can see hydropower stations being built, we’ve got roads, schools and hospitals being built.”

Meanwhile, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky is on a five-day visit to Angola and Zambia. This trip is aimed at reducing cooperation between African countries and both Russia and China and restoring European influence.

Lipavsky admitted on the trip that Europe needed to be more "present" in Africa and to "pay more attention" to the continent.