Africa, China and the Rise of the Global South

Date	Saturday 17 March
Time	6pm Britain / 1pm US Eastern / 10am US Pacific
Venue	Marx Memorial Library London EC1R 0DU And Zoom

Speakers

Booker Ngesa Omole – National Vice-Chairperson and National Organising Secretary of the Communist Party of Kenya (CPK)
Roger McKenzie – Foreign Editor, Morning Star
Fiona Sim – Black Liberation Alliance
Cecil Guzmore – veteran Pan-African community activist and historian
Alex Gordon – RMT President
Frank Murray – Caribbean Labour Solidarity
Radhika Desai – Convenor, International Manifesto Group

Information

The geopolitical map of the world is changing at a rapid pace and in profound ways, with the dominant characteristic being the rise of the Global South, with the rise of socialist China at its heart.

Two years ago, the imperialist powers, led by the United States, were shocked when, almost in its entirety, the Global South, repulsed by the hypocrisy and double standards, refused to follow in imposing sanctions on Russia following the launch of its Special Military Operation.

Now, that hypocrisy and double standards are on unprecedented and shameless display, with the United States having so far used its veto three times in the United Nations Security Council to block calls for a ceasefire in Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping often says, the world is currently witnessing changes unseen in a century, a timeframe that links to the creation of the world’s first workers’ state in the Soviet Union. Today, President Xi has noted, socialism with Chinese characteristics offers a new option for countries that wish to rapidly develop their economies while maintaining their independence. The expansion of the BRICS grouping, whose GDP has surpassed that of the G7, and the admission of the African Union to the G-20, both of which were championed by China, are important reflections of this.

In his February 17th message to the 37th Summit of the African Union, Xi said that the Global South, represented by China and Africa, is booming and this has a profound impact on the course of world history.

Our meeting provides a rare chance to hear a first-hand perspective from the frontline of this anti-imperialist struggle in Africa.

Booker Ngesa Omole is the National Vice-Chairperson and National Organising Secretary of the Communist Party of Kenya (CPK). He also serves as the President of the Marxist-Leninist Institute, responsible for training party cadres, and is the editor of the party’s official quarterly publication, “Itikadi – Socialism Theory and Practice,” which reflects the CPK’s unwavering commitment to the principles of Marxism-Leninism as its guiding ideology.

The CPK is at the heart of an emerging new wave of Marxist-Leninist parties across Africa. Their website explains:

“CPK is conscious of Kenya’s noble history of struggle against foreign domination and imperialism. Our Party is the continuation of the social and national liberation struggle of the Kenyan patriots that ultimately brought about independence from British colonialism in 1963. We remember those elders who died or survived with great suffering in the struggles for national freedom. They sacrificed their lives and blood to give us self-respect in the period and aftermath of colonial domination… However, these noble wishes and aspirations will only be realised when Kenya replaces the capitalist system with the socialist system… CPK is a vanguard Party, as well as a mass organisation guided by the ideology of Marxism-Leninism and its application based on the historical and material conditions of Kenya and the world around us. The Party is a people’s organisation, its paramount interests are the interests of the broadest masses of the people.”

The CPK is building unity and solidarity with the socialist countries, with Comrade Booker having visited China twice in 2023, the second time for the World Socialism Forum, which was also attended by Friends of Socialist China.

We hope as many comrades and friends as possible will take the opportunity to hear him during his brief visit to London.