Erik Prince, a former US Navy officer and founder of the American private military company, Blackwater, expressed the opinion that African countries should undergo recolonization due to their leaders’ perceived corruption and selfishness. Prince shared this perspective in a brief clip posted on X by ‘Africa Facts Zone,’ suggesting that if African nations struggle with self-governance, it’s time for them to be invaded once again.
In the clip, Prince conveyed his belief that Africans face challenges in governing themselves because their leaders prioritize personal gain over the welfare of their citizens. He asserted that if incapable leaders persist, it is justified to reimpose foreign governance, stating, “It is time for us to just put the imperial hat back on to say we are going to govern those countries if you are incapable of governing yourself because enough is enough.”
Responding to the question of whether he was advocating for colonialism, Prince affirmed, “Absolutely, yes.”
During the 19th and 20th centuries, European powers, including Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, and others, engaged in the scramble for and colonization of African territories.
In 1960, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV)), also known as the Declaration on Decolonization. This resolution emphasized the UN’s role in supporting movements for independence in Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories, asserting the necessity of swiftly and unconditionally ending colonialism in all its forms and manifestations, and affirming the right of all people to self-determination.
