When Exploitation Wears a Suit: The Hypocrisy Behind “Cooperation”

By Yaw Kissi

“If China did this, the world would scream. If Russia attempted it, headlines would flood every news cycle. But when France does it, they call it ‘partnership.’ Never has hypocrisy been so polished.”

How are we still here in 2025, watching sovereign African nations send their natural wealth overseas – decades after independence – due to colonial-era agreements that should be at the center of global outrage? Yet the West remains silent.

African leaders remain silent. And those few who dare to speak out are branded as radicals.

Imagine the uproar if Russia demanded perpetual access to cocoa, uranium, gold, and oil from a former territory. Picture the international condemnation if China imposed an agreement requiring 50 percent of a nation’s foreign reserves to be held in its central bank.

But when France does it, they call it “cooperation.” The European Union calls it “development assistance.”

We call it slavery rebranded.

What’s even more confounding is how some African leaders not only accept these arrangements but defend them. Presidents rise and fall, yet the pact remains.

The extraction continues. The silence endures.

Meanwhile, when Ibrahim Traoré takes power in Burkina Faso, the world reacts with fury. But when a people are stripped of their resources for decades through so-called “legitimate” agreements, the world remains calm.

Where is the outrage?
Where is the moral indignation?
Where are the Western champions of human rights?

A Neo-Colonial Reality Wearing a Smile

This isn’t just about politics – it’s about dignity. It’s about whether we recognize ourselves as equals on the global stage.

Whether we believe in true sovereignty, or have passively accepted a neo-colonial reality simply because it wears a suit, speaks our language, and smiles in our photographs.

The sad truth?
We still sign new deals with the same hands that once cuffed us.
We still applaud foreign aid while our wealth leaves the country daily.
We fear being called “radical” more than we fear being exploited.

This is not partnership. This is exploitation – dressed in diplomacy, shielded by silence.

And until we reclaim control over our own resources, we cannot claim to be free.

The world must now choose: Human rights for all – or hypocrisy for the powerful.

Yaw Kissi is a finance professional with a strong interest in writing and a passion for reshaping Africa’s narrative. He is based in Accra, Ghana.