Kemi Seba: We understand Azerbaijan's fatigue with French arrogance

Representatives from Africa can empathize with Azerbaijan's weariness of French arrogance, manifested in France's tendency to offer unsolicited advice and pass judgment on human rights situations in other countries while ignoring its own violations, according to Kemi Seba, head of the NGO "URGENCES PANAFRICANISTES," who spokeg at the international conference French Neocolonialism Policy in Africa underway in Baku

Seba pointed out the hypocrisy of French authorities accusing other nations of human rights abuses while consistently committing such abuses themselves, particularly against black populations. He emphasized that France not only seeks to dictate terms to other countries but also disregards the challenges faced by its current colonies.

The participation of Panafricanists in the Baku conference, Seba explained, is tied to supporting Azerbaijan—a former chair and active member of the Non-Aligned Movement—in the struggle of colonized peoples for independence. "Many who follow us live may wonder how Panafricanists ended up in Baku, Azerbaijan. The answer is simple: Baku has become an important international platform where the issue of colonialism has been elevated to a global level. We came here to continue our fight for self-determination," he added.

Kemi Seba, born in Strasbourg, France, in 1981, is recognized as a symbolic leader of the movement for African independence and sovereignty and actively fights against neocolonialism. In 2024, the French government stripped Seba of his French citizenship for openly criticizing French authorities over the damage inflicted on African countries by Paris' colonial policies and for supporting independence movements in French overseas territories. French authorities have also arrested Seba several times to pressure him to back down from his position and renounce his activities.

In response to losing his French citizenship, the President of Niger appointed Seba as a special advisor, and several African countries provided him with diplomatic passports. Seba boasts a wide audience across various social media platforms, with 1.3 million followers on Facebook, 370,000 on TikTok, 306,000 on Instagram, 280,000 on X and 230,000 on YouTube.