SYDNEY and KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 (IPS) – Most sub-Saharan African French colonies got formal independence in the 1960s. But their economies have progressed little, leaving most people in poverty, and generally worse off than in other post-colonial African economies.
Decolonization?
Pre-Second World War colonial monetary arrangements were consolidated into the Colonies Françaises d’Afrique (CFA) franc zone set up on 26 December 1945. Decolonization became inevitable after France’s defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954 and withdrawal from Algeria less than a decade later.
Read the full story, “How France Underdevelops Africa”, on globalissues.org →

World News in Brief: Civilians killed in DR Congo, Ukrainians wrestle with return, Guterres calls out ‘normalisation’ of force
Afghanistan faces deepening humanitarian crisis amid sweeping rights restrictions
From a ship frozen into Arctic ice, a warning to world leaders: Trust the science
‘No Escape’ for refugees on the frontlines of the climate crisis
Sudan’s suffering is plain for all to see say aid teams, as brutal war continues
Why Geohazards Must Be Part of the Pacific’s Resilience Agenda