(by Massimiliano D'Elia) On the eve of the Europe-Africa Interministerial Council, the Italy-France affair becomes a diplomatic case due to the controversial exchange on migration issues. The French Foreign Ministry summoned the Italian ambassador, Teresa Castaldo, to ask for clarification on the declarations defined as "hostile and unmotivated" made by Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio, who had spoken of "France's colonial responsibilities" behind the flow of migrants who seek to reach Europe.
However, the controversy does not stop Di Maio, which, after denying the existence of a diplomatic conflict, has increased the dose, accusing France of a colonial use of the Franc of the Financial Community of Africa. "Printing a currency for 14 African states prevents the development of those African states and contributes to the departure of refugees who then die in the Mediterranean or arrive on our shores. If Europe at this moment wants to have some courage, it must have the strength to face the issue of the decolonization of Africa. I'm tired of talking about the effects of immigration, I want to start addressing the causes".
Of the African Financial Community Franc, once Franco of the African Colonies, the same president Macron had spoken in the 2017 in Burkina Faso, evoking the possibility of a reform of the currency that could have gone so far as to cancel it completely. However, no operational plan was followed to the declarations. In this regard, PRP Channel has written extensively. link
The oppositions go to the attack, starting with the Democratic Party with the leader of the Senate Andrea Marcucci and the group leader in the Foreign Affairs Commission Alessandro Alfieri calls for the convocation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs Enzo Moavero. But from the Five Stars they do not seem at all intent to back down: "There is little to apologize - writes Undersecretary Manlio Di Stefano in a tweet - in saying the truth and defending the interests of the weakest, the African peoples." A position common to the majority, even if the Northern League deputy Paolo Grimoldi says his and adds that "if France allows us to convene our ambassador in Paris, then" when Macron and his ministers last summer overthrew insults and offenses on our we would at least have had to expel their ambassador to Rome. "
Last evening Bersani on Porro's program on Rete4 he said: "we threw 70 years of international relations into the air". Unfortunately, the former leader of the PD is right. The accusations made against France by Di Maio are certainly well founded, however, there are more appropriate places to assert their reasons and not advertising on the media and especially on social networks. Issues of international politics must not be part of the "brawl" of internal politics because it exists outside the Italian borders a different world that moves with unfortunately often ambiguous logic. The fact that France uses CFA in its 14 ex-colonies is a matter known to insiders. Merkel herself, even worse ... .., had asked France, years ago, to pay the African "gabelle" directly into the coffers of the ECB and not of the transalpine Treasury. Di Maio and Meloni are right in denouncing, but they should have done so at the UN, the European Parliament, or rather in "confidential" meetings at bilateral level. The risks are now the deal of the century between Fincantieri and Stx France in shipbuilding. An agreement that would allow us to compete globally with the Chinese. Then there is Mr. Moscovici in the EU Commission who has already made it clear that hard times will come for the Italian accounts. Not to mention Libya, where Italy and France should play, together, a frontline role for the pacification of the country. On the other hand, even in the African country the “subtle” moves to steal the influence on Tripoli from one another continue.
In short, that of Di Maio and then the Government played a really bad game.