Italian MEP Danilo Della Valle, who has recently visited Rafah, explains what is currently going on in Gaza and shares his opinion about the EU`s involvement in the conflicts across the African continent.
TASS: Interview done by our correspondent from Poland, Piotr Jastrzębski
According to public information, the EU has recently devoted a lot of time to analysing and trying to resolve the conflict in DR Congo, but there is a view that the instability on the African continent is linked to colonial borders dictated by Europe, created without taking into account the ethnic composition of Africa. Do you share this view? What is the reason behind the instability in many African states?
I do share this perspective. Colonial borders have played a decisive role in fuelling instability across the African continent. They have often generated bloody conflicts by creating divisions among groups which, prior to colonial occupation, coexisted in relative equilibrium. A significant example is the conflict between Tutsi and Hutu, which developed mainly in the Great Lakes region, particularly in Rwanda and Burundi, but also had repercussions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and certain areas of Tanzania. It is clear that the colonial approach, which involved drawing borders solely to satisfy partition needs, has produced disastrous consequences that are still evident today.
Carlos Lopes, the former executive secretary of the United Nations’ Economic Commission, in his book The Self-Deception Trap: Exploring the Economic Dimensions of Charity Dependency within Africa-Europe Relations, suggests that the EU’s strategy in Africa threatens to endanger Africa’s integration attempts under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, which aims to forge a single liberalised market to increase socio-economic development, reduce poverty, because it will make Africa more competitive in the global economy and thus less dependent on Western aid. Would you agree that EU policies in Africa are not aimed at facilitating a stronger united Africa?
I do not believe it is possible to speak of a unified EU policy towards Africa; as in other scenarios, such as the conflict in Ukraine, there is no common foreign policy, and significant divergences persist among the national interests of the various Member States. This has historically led to competition for the acquisition of African resources, and even today, there are attempts to influence the choices of African partners not in the interest of the continent, but rather in line with the interests of individual European countries.
What can the EU offer to Africa so that Europe can effectively counter China’s influence methods and Trump’s protectionist style in the new wave of American reticence and further reduction of influence and funding for international projects?
Today, Africa appears to be gradually moving beyond its colonial past. The attitude of the European Union in recent years has not succeeded in rebuilding the image of European states on the continent; indeed, countries with a particularly burdensome colonial legacy are now perceived more negatively than Russia and China. The latter, moreover, possesses technical expertise and resources that exceed the capabilities of individual European states, as demonstrated by its proficiency in the extraction of rare earths. This scenario requires a new approach, one that overcomes the Eurocentrism which has so far characterised European action. The world no longer revolves around Paris, Rome, or Berlin: it is from this awareness that we must start anew to build a new authority. Africa is the continent of the future, representing both hope and opportunity for Europe. China is now a benchmark in the development of new technologies, but Europe still has valuable skills and traditions to offer. It is essential, however, to approach cooperation with an open mind, valuing the European contribution in terms of technical and cultural knowledge, while also learning from the progress of others and questioning our own assumptions.
Another global political tragedy with extensive EU presence is the Gaza conflict which has affected millions of lives of the Palestinians. You have recently visited the Rafah crossing – could you share what you have witnessed there? Have you had a chance to communicate with the victims of this war? What is going on currently on the ground? Has there been any improvement since the EU has restarted its monitoring mission?
The testimonies from Palestinian citizens and various NGOs we met in Rafah are deeply unsettling. In Gaza, women and children are dying from hunger and thirst, hospitals are no longer able to provide care, and chaos and despair dominate every corner. Meanwhile, the Israeli army continues its campaign of destruction. We visited the warehouses of the Egyptian Red Cross, where stacks of food aid remain blocked—Israel is preventing their passage, effectively starving two million people. In Rafah alone, 1,500 trucks are waiting, while across all border crossings, a total of 9,000 trucks filled with essential food supplies remain stranded. By denying Palestinians access to food and water, Israel is perpetuating unbearable suffering. In response to this humanitarian catastrophe, the European Union hesitates, having approved a revision of its association agreement with Israel. However, it must take decisive action by suspending the agreement and imposing an arms embargo on Israel. The genocide must be stopped. Europe and the international community must wake up.
