By Mafa Kwanisai Mafa

There is a brutal truth that Africa must finally face without fear or politeness: the so-called “security partnerships” offered by the United States are not protection agreements.

They are instruments of control, extraction, and betrayal. For decades, Washington has sold the illusion of safety to weaker nations, wrapping domination in the language of cooperation. But history has already delivered its verdict, and it is ugly.

From the Middle East to Africa, the pattern is so consistent that it is no longer debatable. Nations that align themselves with the United States do not become safer.

They become more vulnerable, more dependent, and ultimately more disposable. The powerful words often attributed to Henry Kissinger still echo today: it is dangerous to be America’s enemy, but fatal to be its ally. That is not just a clever quote. It is a warning written in the blood and ruins of entire nations.

Look at the betrayal of the Kurds in Syria. They fought on behalf of U.S. interests, acted as ground forces in the fight against ISIS, and were promised protection. But when geopolitical priorities shifted, they were abandoned overnight.

No defence. No rescue. Just silence. The same script played out in Afghanistan, where after 20 years of occupation and promises of stability, the United States withdrew abruptly in 2021, leaving behind chaos and collapse. The lesson is simple: U.S. loyalty expires the moment its interests change.

Africa knows this story too well, even if some leaders still pretend not to. Take Libya. After years of tension, Muammar Gaddafi attempted rapprochement with the West, even abandoning strategic weapons programmes in the hope of securing peace.

What did he get in return? NATO bombs, regime destruction, and a country reduced to a playground of militias and foreign interference. That was not a mistake. It was imperial policy in action.

In Somalia, decades of U.S.-driven “counter-terrorism” have not brought stability. Instead, they have entrenched conflict and prolonged suffering. In truth, the presence of foreign military interests often fuels the very instability it claims to fight. This is not security; it is managed chaos.

The fundamental problem is that U.S. foreign policy is not based on friendship, morality, or shared values. It is based on power and profit. Africa is not seen as a partner. It is seen as a resource base, rich in minerals, land, and strategic positioning.

Whether it is lithium in Zimbabwe, coltan in the Congo, or oil in Nigeria, the game is the same. Security agreements become the entry point for deeper control over national resources.

These alliances are deliberately structured to be weak and reversible. Most are not binding treaties. They are vague agreements, easily abandoned when Washington changes direction. One election in America can undo years of “partnership.” That is not security. That is dependency disguised as diplomacy.

Even worse, these alliances come with strings that choke sovereignty. Military aid is never free. It demands compliance. It demands alignment with U.S. geopolitical agendas.

It demands silence when injustices are committed elsewhere. And the moment an African country attempts to act independently, the punishment is swift sanctions, isolation, or destabilisation.

We have seen this repeatedly. Countries that try to control their own resources or chart independent paths are suddenly labelled as threats to “democracy.” Their leaders are demonised. Internal opposition is amplified. Economic pressure is applied. This is not a coincidence. It is a strategy.

But Africa is not without options. The world is changing, and new frameworks are emerging that reject domination and promote mutual respect. One such alternative is the Global Security Initiative, proposed by China.

Unlike the coercive and transactional model of U.S. alliances, this initiative is built on principles that resonate deeply with Pan-Africanism: sovereignty, non-interference, mutual benefit, and collective security.

The Global Security Initiative does not require nations to surrender control of their resources or align themselves with foreign conflicts.

Instead, it promotes dialogue over domination, development over destruction, and cooperation over coercion. It recognises that true security cannot be imposed from outside; it must be built internally, supported by fair and equal partnerships.

For Africa and the Global South, this represents a critical shift. It offers a pathway out of the trap of dependency. It allows nations to engage globally without becoming pawns in great power rivalries.

It creates space for independent decision-making, where countries can prioritise their own development goals without fear of punishment.

China’s growing engagement with Africa through infrastructure, trade, and development cooperation demonstrates a different model of partnership. While no global power is without interests, the difference lies in approach.

Where the United States brings military bases and political conditions, China often brings roads, railways, and investment. Where Washington exports instability in the name of security, Beijing speaks the language of stability through development.

This does not mean blind alignment with any external power. It means strategic engagement. It means choosing partnerships that respect African sovereignty and advance African interests. It means rejecting any relationship, whether Western or otherwise, that seeks to dominate rather than cooperate.

The tragedy is that some African elites still fall for the illusion of Western protection. They are seduced by short-term gains, military aid, financial incentives, and diplomatic recognition without understanding the long-term cost.

They trade national independence for temporary comfort. But history shows that the bill always comes due, and it is paid by the ordinary people.

Pan-Africanism offers a different path. It calls for regional cooperation, collective security arrangements, and economic independence. It demands that Africa build its own defence capabilities and strengthen its own institutions.

It insists that African nations stop competing for Western favour and start building continental power while engaging global initiatives like the Global Security Initiative on their own terms.

This is not just ideology. It is survival. The emerging global order is already exposing the cracks in U.S. dominance. Countries across the Global South are beginning to question old alliances and explore new frameworks of cooperation.

The rise of China and initiatives like the Global Security Initiative signal that the era of unchallenged Western control is fading.

Africa must not miss this moment. It must learn from the ruins of Libya, the chaos of Somalia, and the betrayal of Afghanistan. These are not distant stories. They are warnings. They show what happens when nations surrender their sovereignty in exchange for empty promises.

The truth is harsh, but it must be spoken plainly: the United States does not protect its allies. It uses them. And when they are no longer useful, it discards them without hesitation.

For Africa, the choice is clear. Continue down the path of dependency and face inevitable betrayal, or rise with dignity, embrace new global alternatives, and build true independence. There is no middle ground.

The future of the continent cannot be secured in Washington, Brussels, or any foreign capital. It must be forged in Africa, by Africans, for Africans working with partners who respect that truth, not those who seek to control it.