By Mwalimu George Ngwane
Conflict Trends Magazine, No. , 2001
The central theme of the Africa-France Summit (which took place in Yaounde from 17-19 January 2001) was to discuss how prepared Africa is for globalisation.Bala Usman, a renowned Nigerian political scientist, defined globalisation as 'an empty political cliché with a neocolonial outfit'. His compatriot,Tade Akin Aina, declared globalisation as a new phase of capitalist expansion, focussed on exploitation, accumulation, inequality and polarisation. In its most basic form, Sengalese writer, Demba Moussa Dembele, regards globalisation and structuraladjustment programmes as being among the main instruments of the West's recolonisation strategy of the African continent.
The concept 'globalisation' can be traced back to the 1970s. It was during that time that some European scholars developed the concept of the 'New International Division of Labour' - essentially, the concept refers to large-scale companies in developed countries exporting more of their production to lessdeveloped countries, thereby taking advantage of the lower labour costs.
While this happened, developed countries remained at the centre of these international companies, due to their advanced position in communication and transport (...CODESRIA Bulletin, 1997). Eurocentric discourses on globalisation have focussed on its advantages vis-a-vis Africa. Apologists say globalisation would fight inflation and secure financial stability through liberalised economies. They maintain that through observing the rules of open trade, fair competition and unfettered capital movements, globalisation is potentially the most effective way to end world poverty and spread the benefits of modernisation throughout the world.
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