2023 is a difficult year for Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa. Extreme weather is rampant, causing increasingly serious food insecurity, poverty and displacement; Looking back at the history of the slave trade, Africa calls on western countries to shoulder historical responsibilities, advance the just cause and pay compensation to the African people; The security situation in West Africa and the Sahel has deteriorated again, with coups in Niger and Gabon, and the national consciousness of African countries has gradually awakened; The continuous aggressive interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve has increased the already high inflationary pressure in African countries. Of course, even in the face of a series of internal and external shocks, the trend of world multipolarization has not changed, and peace and development remain the theme of the African continent.

　　The year-end special feature "Say No to 2023" of the Central Radio and Television General Station in Africa will sort out the multiple challenges faced by the African continent in 2023 through many in-depth reports, showing that Africa is actively seeking the road of independent development and national rejuvenation through multilateral cooperation, the BRICS mechanism and the green "Belt and Road" construction.

　　French troops stationed in Niger withdrew from French media: the end of France’s ten-year "anti-jihad" campaign

　　On December 22nd, with the last batch of 50 French soldiers flying from the air base in Niamey, the capital of Niger, to France and Chad, the French army’s evacuation from Niger started on October 10th ended, and all 1,500 French troops stationed in Niger were evacuated. At the same time, the French embassy in Niger said that it was forced to close indefinitely because it could not perform all the tasks of diplomatic representatives.

　　Since the regime change in Niger in July this year, the controversy surrounding the French garrison in Niger has come to an end. France’s 24 TV channel said in the report that this move means that "France has been in the Sahel region of West Africa for more than a decade ‘ Anti-jihad ’ The action is over. "

　　Looking back on the past two years, the French army has successively withdrawn from Mali, the Central African Republic and Burkina Faso, and the number of personnel has been reduced from more than 5,400 at the peak to about 1,000 at present. The French military presence in the Sahel region of West Africa is gradually declining.

　　In addition, many former French colonial countries in Africa are carrying out the "de-Frenchization" movement, and France has gradually lost its influence and once respected position in Africa, and the era of "French Africa" is slowly ending.

　　After the coup in Niger, the anti-French wave surged, and the "African gendarmerie" had no choice but to withdraw again.

　　On July 26th, soldiers of Niger Presidential Guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum in the presidential palace in Niamey, the capital. On that night, the coup soldiers announced that they had overthrew the Bazoum regime and taken over state affairs. On the 28th, Chiani, the former captain of Niger’s presidential guard, announced his appointment as the chairman of Niger’s National Committee for Defending the Motherland. On the same day, the Committee issued a statement saying that Chiani, the chairman of the Committee, was the national leader.

　　The reasons for the military coup in Niger are exactly the same as those in Mali and Burkina Faso. They are "the security situation continues to deteriorate and the government’s economic and social governance is weak", and the sword refers to France. Bazoum was detained, and the western media also exclaimed that France was afraid of losing an important ally in the Sahel. After the incident, France refused to recognize the legitimacy of the coup soldiers.

　　On July 30th, France announced the suspension of aid to Nepal. On the same day, Niamey people who supported the coup soldiers stormed the French embassy. They shouted slogans such as "Down with France" in front of the embassy, during which some people set fire to the door and threw stones at the embassy. Two days later, France decided to evacuate overseas Chinese from Niger urgently.

　　On August 3, the military authorities of the coup in Niger announced the abolition of the military cooperation agreement signed with France, demanding that the French garrison withdraw before September 3. The French side responded strongly that the coup authorities in Niger had no right to abolish the agreement. On August 25th, the military government of Niger asked sylvain Yitai, the French ambassador to Nigeria, to leave the country within 48 hours, but France turned a deaf ear and refused to recall the ambassador.

　　At the beginning of September, the deadline for withdrawal approached, and thousands of people in Niger surrounded the French base in Niamey, "Down with France! The call for France to get out is higher and higher, and some people try to break into the military camp. At the same time, the supply of the French embassy in Niger was cut off, the materials were reduced to "wartime quota", and Ambassador sylvain Yitai was taken hostage.

　　Under heavy pressure, on September 5, the French Ministry of National Defense said that it "exchanged views" with the Nigerian military government on the withdrawal of the French army. Previously, it repeatedly reversed its position of not recognizing it. On 24th, French President Macron said that he would recall his ambassador to Niger and end his military presence in the country. "French 24 Hours" news network said that after nearly two months of confrontation with Niger’s military government, Macron finally "caved in".

　　This withdrawal from Niger is the fourth time that France has withdrawn its troops from African countries in two years after withdrawing troops from Mali, Central African Republic and Burkina Faso. Among them, in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, France was ordered to leave for three times, which made France lose face in the Sahel region, and France’s status as an "African gendarmerie" was also unsustainable.

　　France’s anti-terrorism framework has been abandoned, and countries in the Sahel region are determined to maintain security independently.

　　The evacuation of the French army is regarded by the people of Niger as the beginning of a "new era", and the ruling military government of Niger also considers it a major victory, declaring it as a "new step towards Niger’s sovereignty".

　　How will the security situation in the Sahel evolve after the withdrawal of French troops? Some western media have expressed their concern that the "anti-terrorism vacuum" may lead to the further expansion of the activities of the "jihad" armed forces, thus worsening the security situation in the Sahel region and even the Gulf of Guinea as a whole.

　　However, the people in the Sahel countries do not agree with the pessimistic predictions of the western media. They believe that the French army did not significantly improve the security situation during its existence. Niger’s military government expressed its "determination to meet the challenge by consolidating the country’s military and strategic capabilities". Chiani reorganized the national defense system after taking office, and recently established the "Solidarity Fund for Protecting Homes" to raise funds for counter-terrorism by raising funds from the public.

　　On 16 September, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso signed an agreement announcing the establishment of the "League of Sahel countries". On the one hand, the alliance is to respond to the threat of military intervention that the Economic Community of West African States may launch, and on the other hand, it will coordinate the fight against terrorist activities raging in the border areas of the three countries.

　　This cooperation mechanism is a substitute for the "Sahel Group of Five" established by France in 2014. Due to dissatisfaction with France’s use of this organization to give orders, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have all withdrawn from the "Group of Five", resulting in the de facto dissolution of this organization.

　　Whether Niger is determined to build its own defense line against terrorism, whether Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger form an alliance to fight terrorism, or whether Russia provides strong support to the Sahel region, the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen. The complexity of the security in the Sahel also includes many problems such as economic development and social governance in the region. When analyzing the failure of France’s "Sahel strategy", some French scholars said that France relied too unilaterally on military means and lacked support for the development of various countries.

　　African anti-French sentiment has a long history, and historical and practical factors are intertwined.

　　In recent years, many countries that have suffered coups are former French colonies, and they are also African countries known as French-speaking areas. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which have successively expelled the French army, are also among them. These countries have close and special interests with France for many years, and their dissatisfaction with France has a long history. Colonial history and current political security issues are intertwined and gradually accumulate into a powerful anti-French wave.

　　Cruel economic plunder has led to a weak economic foundation and a low level of development in African countries.

　　France’s colonial history in Africa has been more than 100 years, but most French-speaking countries in Africa, especially those in the Sahel, have a worrying development situation and a low level of economic and social development, which is directly related to France’s predatory colonization. French companies obtain local resources and raw materials, and dump goods to make a lot of profits, but they have no intention of promoting local construction and development.

　　In addition, by establishing the CFA franc zone and unifying the currency, the financial and economic lifelines of French-speaking countries were controlled and their dependence on France was deepened. At present, 14 African countries use West African francs or Central African francs, and their currency reserves are deposited in the Central Bank of France. These economic plundering histories are the "original sin" of France in the eyes of African young people, which makes them reject France from national feelings.

　　"Double Standards" on Democratic Issues, Interfering in the Political Situation of French-speaking African Countries at Will

　　On the one hand, France advocates democracy, but at the same time, it makes friends with some ruling families in African countries in exchange for benefits and convenience, and pursues "double standards" on the issue of democracy. Most senior officials and politicians in West African countries have a background of studying in France and being pro-French, which is their political capital supported by France. For the emergence of a political situation that is not conducive to France, France will come forward to exert pressure, restrain and threaten from the political and economic levels, and influence the ruling direction of political elites.

　　If economic and political means fail, France’s large number of troops stationed in many African countries can come in handy. According to incomplete statistics, from 1962 to now, France has carried out at least 25 military interventions in Africa, including Operation Sangbutterfly, which tried to help Central Africa "restore order" in 2013, and Operation Unicorn, which intervened in the civil war in C? te d ‘Ivoire in 2015.

　　For a long time, the powerful control over French-speaking countries in Africa has made the French politicians accustomed to the "paternalistic" style and bossed around the affairs of French-speaking countries in Africa. The condescending arrogance of the French government has aroused widespread resentment in all walks of life in African countries.

　　The anti-French wave swept through and went deep into the field of cultural life, and France had to adjust its role.

　　Nowadays, anti-French sentiment has spread to most French-speaking African countries. From Mali to the Democratic Republic of Congo, from Senegal to Gabon, France’s influence is gradually losing. African leaders and public opinion are expressing their dissatisfaction with France more and more bluntly. The former French colonial countries are increasingly alienated from France politically and militarily, and are also cutting off from France with greater efforts in culture and life.

　　Since July this year, Morocco, Mali and Burkina Faso have successively decided to abolish the official language status of French. These three countries plan to upgrade the local national language to the official language, while Algeria has increased the popularization of English at the university level. In August this year, Abidjan, the economic capital of C? te d ‘Ivoire, decided to delete the place names with traces of French colonization, and the streets named after former French presidents Destin and Mitterrand were also renamed. In addition, in recent years, in the French-speaking areas of West Africa, civil, political and artistic movements criticizing France have become increasingly active, further awakening the national consciousness of the local people.

　　Gnaka Lagok, a professor of history and African studies at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, said, "Some African countries have a feeling that economic and political life is still controlled by France. The reality is that these African countries are seeking ‘ Second independence ’ People want political and economic freedom and France is an obstacle for them to achieve this goal. "

　　In August this year, some center-right members of the French Parliament sent a letter to French President Macron, urging him to reconsider France’s role in Africa when France’s influence weakened, arguing that France should keep a "fair distance" from African countries and Paris should get rid of its outdated Africa policy.

　　Editorial writer Philippe Bernard said in the column of Le Monde in France in February this year that with the expulsion of French soldiers, France must admit that it played an accomplice role in the failure of some French-speaking African countries and regard the withdrawal as a new stage of decolonization. "For France, the goal should not be to beat one’s chest, but to change one’s mentality." The French media also admitted that "it is time to break the paternalism towards Africans and allow these countries to exercise their free will".

　　(Headquarters reporter He Beiping intern reporter Chen Yanhua)

The husband of the Shanghai rights-defending female car owner voiced again in the middle of the night: Tesla has violated personal privacy and demanded that the data be revoked and apologized.

Mr. Li, the husband of the rights-defending female car owner, responded to the elephant journalist late at night, saying that he violated the owner’s personal privacy and consumer rights and would immediately complain to the Zhengzhou market supervision department.

The person in charge of handling the accident in Tesla said that the data had been sent to the customer by email. Since the customer’s phone has not been answered, Tesla sent it to the mailbox that the customer filled in when buying a car through the company mailbox.

"My wife is still in the detention center, and the mobile phone is in the hands of the police. How can I get a call?" Mr. Li said that before Tesla released the data one minute before the vehicle accident, he never got in touch with Zhang’s family.

Mr. Li only telephoned the relevant person in charge of Zhengzhou Zhengdong New District Market Supervision Administration on the afternoon of the 22nd. The person in charge only told Mr. Li that Tesla had been ordered to provide data to the owners, and did not mention that the driving data should be released through the media.

Tesla released the driving data without any communication with the owner, which surprised Mr. Li after seeing this news. "This has violated our personal privacy and consumer rights." Mr. Li first expressed disapproval of the driving data presented by Tesla. At the same time, he believed that the driving data belonged to personal property and privacy, and Tesla released it to the media and the public without the permission of the owner, which he could not accept.

Next, Mr. Li will make a complaint to Zhengzhou Municipal Market Supervision Administration, and ask Tesla to apologize publicly and cancel the driving data.

Tesla once again voiced late at night: he will cooperate with the investigation without reservation.

Tesla issued another document on the night of 22nd, saying that it fully accepted the decision of the State Administration of Market Supervision and Zhengzhou Municipal Market Supervision Administration, did its best, actively cooperated with all relevant investigations, earnestly fulfilled the main responsibility of quality and safety, and provided consumers with high-quality and safe products and services. Tesla said that up to now, on April 21st, it has provided complete driving data half an hour before the accident, and has repeatedly contacted relevant parties and reported relevant information.

　

　

Extended reading

Another Tesla rights owner voiced: Detection can’t keep up with technological development.

Shortly after Tesla announced the situation one minute before the data restoration accident, another car owner, Baojia, who participated in the rights protection voiced through Weibo, responding why he didn’t do a third-party appraisal. He said that "detection can’t keep up with technology", and it is difficult for authoritative appraisal institutions to find the dilemma that car owners encounter after the current smart car dispute accident.

In Weibo, Baojia first expressed his joy that Tesla began to provide data. He expressed his gratitude to the motherland and activists. "There was no clear relevant legal basis before. (Background data) Tesla doesn’t give it, and consumers can’t help it. Consumers can’t help it if they find a consumer association. In recent days, it has just been approved by the superior. Consumers have the right to know the driving data generated during the use and driving of pure electric vehicles, and enterprises need to provide them unconditionally. With this regulation, there will be disputes in the future, and it will be much more convenient for everyone to get data. "

It is not easy to get the data, but the security guard raised the second question: "I can’t understand and analyze the specific causes of the accident."

Security Jia said: "There is a rider who is doing related work, but he can’t analyze it. At present, I don’t know which institution can interpret this data. "

The reporter found that at present, most of the vehicle appraisal institutions recognized by the relevant judicial departments were established earlier, and they were basically used for accident appraisal of fuel vehicles. After consulting with several automobile inspection agencies, the other party indicated that the hardware inspection can be carried out for the vehicle, but if there is a problem with the software or system, it cannot be guaranteed to be detected by the existing technology of the agency.

An industry insider who didn’t want to be named told reporters that in the past, the institutions that conducted accident identification for fuel vehicles may not be able to meet the needs of smart cars. The reason is that smart cars are built on the basis of computer technology, so the role of the owner stepping on the brakes when an accident occurs is likely to be affected by system operation. Therefore, the traditional appraisal agency can only appraise whether the brakes of the current situation are normal, but can’t appraise the braking situation of the vehicle when the accident occurs. To completely restore the truth of the accident, it is also necessary for car companies to provide background data.

However, even if the car companies provide background data, whether the background data is complete or not has become a point of contention. In addition, a testing agency service staff also said that many emerging technologies like Tesla do not have equipment testing software now, and the most "authoritative" may be the manufacturer’s own analysis.

This makes the smart car accident go back to the embarrassing situation of the manufacturer’s "one statement" and no authoritative evidence from the third party.

In this regard, Bao Baojia said that it is an inevitable phenomenon that testing can’t keep up with the development of technology. At present, there are no relevant standards for software testing of new energy vehicle controllers, and the relevant standards of computer industry can not be fully applied to software testing of vehicle controllers, nor can they guide engineers in the automotive industry to carry out software testing in an all-round way.

It is reported that at present, under the leadership of the State Automobile Standards Committee, the formulation of large-scale intelligent network automobile safety standards is in full swing at this stage.

It is understood that Baoan Jia is different from Ms. Henan Car Advocate who stands on the roof of the car to defend her rights. The reason for defending her rights is not the brake failure, but the loss of power of the vehicle. He also said in the Weibo: "After Ms. Zhang came out, she must have something to say about Tesla’s data. I can’t speak for her. Each of us has a different problem. Recently, the video was broadcast directly about my car. Listen to the professional interpretation before Ms. Zhang comes out. "

According to his account, in March this year, when he was driving Model S from Nanjing to Shanghai, the vehicle suddenly gave an alarm prompt: "The power has been reduced and the vehicle is closing". Then, the vehicle stepped on the pedal without any response. He contacted Tesla to send the vehicle to the service center after sale, but the customer service staff first said that the vehicle lost power due to motor failure, and then thought that the motor problem was caused by Mr. An’s vehicle wading. Bao Baojia believes that Tesla is "shabu-shabu" and does not recognize the accident identification.

Original title: Tesla rights owners’ new voice: detection can’t keep up with technological development

　

Source: Comprehensive Elephant News Beijing Daily Client @ Baojia @ Tesla

Process editor: tf004