Burkina Faso / May 1st : Minister Bassolma Bazié denounces exploitation and highlights Africa’s leading role in global geopolitics
On May 1st, 2024, International Workers’ Day, provided an opportunity for the Minister of Labor, Bassolma Bazié, to deliver a speech filled with truth and determination. At the heart of his intervention was an unequivocal observation : Africa remains an invaluable treasure, teeming with mineral, forest, and human wealth.
Minister Bazié, in his address, forcefully recalls that for centuries, Africa has been the stage for merciless exploitation, from the dark era of slavery to the tentacles of contemporary neocolonialism. This land, so generous in resources, has been the object of incessant coveting at the expense of its inhabitants’ suffering. The minister does not hesitate to denounce the complicit actors in this exploitation : corrupt leaders, shaped and kept in power by foreign powers to better serve their interests.
The picture he paints is grim : plundered resources, shattered lives, stifled culture. Minister Bazié points out the precarious situation in the Sahel, a reflection of the evils that plague the entire region. Unworthy leaders, complicit in the worst atrocities, allow the establishment of abhorrent practices, plunging their own people into an abyss of misery and despair.
The interference of foreign powers only worsens the situation, using terrorism as an instrument of control and domination. The minister laments the disastrous consequences of these power games : soaring prices, climate disruptions, and the increasing impoverishment of workers. Yet, despite these colossal challenges, Bazié remains hopeful. He underscores the vital importance of international solidarity and the fight for workers’ rights. The May 1st holiday, celebrated for over a century, remains a powerful symbol of resistance and unity against oppression.
Minister Bassolma Bazié’s speech resonates as a call to action, an invitation to stand up against injustice and exploitation. It highlights the crucial issues Africa faces in the complex theater of global geopolitics while emphasizing the need for collective mobilization for a fairer and more equitable future.
