African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 1500 -38: Autonomy (Part 3)

Subsequently, the Belgian government, headed by Albert I, re-engaged with the representatives of Congo to communicate about Congo’s economic and political rights.

After a period of negotiation, Congo “finally” chose to remain with Belgium; however, the Belgian government granted Congo the status of an overseas autonomous territory, initially shedding its colonial identity.

The Congo local government gained more autonomous rights, such as enacting local laws, formulating economic policies, and having greater autonomy in foreign exchanges, among others.

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Belgium’s talks with Congo did not signify the end of matters, as in April 1922.

The East African Government dispatched personnel, aligning with the Belgian government and the Congo autonomous government, to engage in yet another negotiation regarding cooperation in the economic sector.

The content of this negotiation was to designate Congo as a free trade zone for Belgium and East Africa, while also promoting the usage of the Rhine Shield in Belgium and Congo, especially within the Congo territory where the Rhine Shield would have equal status with the Belgian Franc as the legal currency of the Congo Autonomous Territory.

The internationalization of the East African Rhine Shield naturally chose to start from surrounding countries and regions, with Congo’s geographical location destined to make it one of East Africa’s first targets.

Besides Congo, Darfur in North Africa, the Southern German Kingdom in West Africa, and Paraguay in South America were the first non-East African territory trial areas; however, Darfur was somewhat special, as it was in fact a colony of East Africa but nominally an independent country.

Due to Congo’s geographical location, it was destined to be unable to escape East Africa’s influence, and according to the estimates of the East African Government, neither Congo nor its sovereign country Belgium had the courage to refuse East Africa.

However, clearly, Congo and mainland Belgium cannot be conflated, so the issues concerning economic sector cooperation with mainland Belgium and the negotiations concerning Congo’s economic sector cooperation were separate.

East Africa also places considerable importance on mainland Belgium; under the UK’s conscious hindrance of East Africa’s overall plan to communicate and interact with Europe, East Africa’s communication and cooperation with Europe would naturally be impacted, especially by the Suez Canal and Gibraltar, these two straits controlled by the UK.

Belgium is situated along the Atlantic coast, so cooperation with East Africa would not be greatly affected, and Belgium’s special geographical location gives it an important role in the entire Western Europe region.

Economically, Belgium is one of the important trade channels between East Africa and France, as well as Germany, especially Belgium’s economic binding with France is more so; a significant part of Belgium’s steel productivity is absorbed by France.

Therefore, reaching economic cooperation with Belgium helps further strengthen East Africa’s economic influence on Europe, and Belgium itself has a good economy; it is considered a high-quality market, which East Africa covets.

However, Belgium is located in a land of four battles, so East Africa’s diplomacy with Belgium is easily subject to interference from the UK, France, and Germany; however, expansion in any country’s economic scope is bound to offend people, East Africa, as a member of the imperialist countries, is inherently the competitor of other great powers, so East Africa is not worried about the interference of other countries.

On the contrary, due to Belgium’s special geographical location, exactly situated in the middle of the three major European countries, UK, France, and Germany, if East Africa can strengthen its influence in Belgium, this will instead benefit East Africa in gaining the initiative in competition with UK, France, and Germany.