Call against the EU-Africa Summit in Vienna:
EU: Hands off Africa!
As the last summit in the course of the EU Presidency of Austria, the so-called „EU-Africa Summit“ is to take place in Vienna on the 18th of December. Under the direction of Austria, the leading heads of government of the EU-countries and individual representatives of the African Union want to meet in order to make the „economic potential“ of Africa accessible to the EU.
Not only as former colonial powers the European states have created a lasting devastation of the African continent in the dismemberment, exploitation and oppression of the African countries and peoples. Even as today’s imperialist powers, they continue the devastation as part of the EU, suppressing any independent economic development.
With the so-called „Economic Partnership Agreements“ (EPAs), the EU has pushed through a Free Trade Agreement aimed at the economic subjugation of the majority of African countries. The market of large parts of Africa is said to be flooded with European products (such as EU subsidized milk powder or poultry) and displace local products, exports of raw materials such as oil, gas, ore, aluminum … were set duty-free in this agreement, which means nothing else than a cheap plunder of natural resources. The powerful countries of the EU, the imperialists, are squeezing billions of bloody profits from the African countries, in the tradition of the old colonialism! Free Trade Agreements such as „EPA“ are destroying the live basics of hundreds of millions of people, causing tens of thousands to starvation and forcing millions to flee. Those who make it to the Mediterranean Sea are drowned in it by tens of thousands, and those who survive this journey are exploited as the cheapest workers in Europe’s borders.
But also the military interference of the EU in Africa should be strengthened. Even the „neutral“ Austria not only delivers weapons to warring parties in Africa, it also supports military intervention and occupation, especially by France, politically and occasionally with its own soldiers, who should „secure“ the economic profit. With the planned EU detention camps in Africa, now even a „European“ zone in Africa should be set up, which would be equivalent to a occupation of foreign territories.
This summit marks another top of the raid, that has left a maltreat and bled continent, for the profit of a few powerful countries. But at the same time also a continent full of diverse traditions of resistance and lively popular movements against exploitation and heteronomy!
As democratically minded people, as anti-imperialists, we want to oppose the cynical „help-on-the-spot summit“ with the slogan „EU: Hands off Africa!“. We stand side by side with all those who have been fighting in Africa for decades and centuries against colonialism and imperialism and have chosen the path of self-determination and independent development. We support this path and therefore call up for protests in various ways against the planned summit and to set a powerful signal in Vienna on the 17th of November!
EU: Hands off Africa! Against any interference by the EU in Africa!
Immediate withdrawal of the EPAs (Economic Partnership Agreements)!
No involvement in military interventions in Africa, no to arms exports from and through Austria! Get out of EU-SSZ, Battlegroups and Frontex!
No to refugee detention camps in Africa, equal rights (right of residence and employment) for all who live here!
Support the resistance of African peoples!
Long live international solidarity!
Alliance against the plundering of Africa
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