Captivité

In the 1960s Europe was united in disengaging from Africa after decades of depredations and state-sponsored looting. But the French authorities realised they could cede political control while retaining monetary control. This legacy still stands today in 14 countries that use a currency controlled by Paris, enabling France to exert monetary control over more than 2.5 million square kilometers of African territory, an area 80% the size of India. Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger use the West African CFA franc while Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo use the Central African CFA franc. This is imperialism by economic means. These chains challenge all to break free from the manacles of monetary control.