FRANC CFA, COUPS D’ETAT, AES, IMPERIALISME MONETAIRE : GRANDE INTERVIEW DE NDONGO SAMBA SYLLA (P1)

A committed economist and Pan-Africanist, Ndongo Samba Sylla is a leading expert on monetary issues. Following in the footsteps of heterodox economists, he regularly explains the nature of money in a clear and accessible way. He also rejects attempts by some to suggest that monetary matters should be the exclusive domain of technicians and specialists, believing that every citizen has the right to express their opinion on such a fundamental subject. In this exclusive interview with AfricaGlobe TV, Ndongo Samba Sylla discusses the challenges facing the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, following their break with France and their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The economist also addresses the challenges of African monetary sovereignty. Author of The Invisible Weapon of Françafrique: A History of the CFA Franc (co-written with Fanny Pigeaud), he reminds us that currency is first and foremost a political instrument, insofar as it reflects the sovereignty and authority of the state. The guest on AfricaGlobe TV denounces the mechanisms of monetary dependence which, according to him, perpetuate relationships inherited from colonial domination. While defending monetary sovereignty, Ndongo Samba Sylla nevertheless emphasizes that the creation of a national currency is not a magic bullet for all economic problems. It does not eliminate difficulties or periods of turbulence. But, according to him, these challenges cannot justify abandoning monetary sovereignty. He questions, in particular, the fact that small states like the Seychelles have their own currency, while regional blocs encompassing tens of millions of inhabitants continue to depend on a former colonial power for their monetary system. He is referring here to the WAEMU and CEMAC countries, historically linked to France through the CFA franc. Conducted three years ago, this interview remains entirely relevant today in light of current debates on Africa's monetary future. That is why Science au Sud TV has chosen to rebroadcast it. #NdongoSambaSylla #CFAFranc #MonetarySovereignty #AES #AllianceOfSahelStates #Mali #BurkinaFaso #Niger #ECOWAS #WAEMU #CEMAC #Françafrique #Panafricanism #AfricanEconomy #Africa #Currency #Development #EconomicIndependence #FannyPigeaud #ScienceAuSudTV