Shaba events and the international position on them 1977-1978 AD (the United States, France and Belgium as an example)

Abstract

The research dealt with Shaba events and the international position on them 1977-1978 AD (the United States, France and Belgium as an example), as it included the events of Shaba and the positions, policies and real motives of Western countries that were behind their support for the Mobutu regime, which enabled it to stand against the National Liberation Front for the Liberation of the Congo (FLN) and stop the communist tide that began to seep into Zaire from Angola through members of FALK, especially since the latter tried to control the Shaba region and make it affiliated with the communist camp. The West saw Zaire as a third world country and in need of support, because it was suffering from political, economic and security problems, so it would not be able to confront FALK, and thus it was not able to confront communism, which prompted France to lead Western support to protect it and save its regime from collapse in the face of the blows of the local Soviet allies. Western countries harnessed all their capabilities to protect their strategic interests in Africa, so they carried out airdrops on Zairean territory and entered into a direct confrontation with (Feltlock), which threatened their interests. Paris invited a number of other African countries to participate in the operation, and the Maghreb was one of the first countries to participate. The research dealt with the issue of Western intervention and the process of withdrawal from Zaire after ending Feltlock's control over the Shaba region, and most of the reasons behind the speed of responding to Mobutu's request to intervene or hesitation and reservation at the beginning of the outbreak of events were clarified, but most countries were looking to the American position that would provide them with a legitimate umbrella, and the Belgian position was affected by some hesitation and it was late in providing support to (Mobutu), because it saw him as part of the problem and his remaining in power exacerbated it. Belgian businessmen also resented him for preferring American and French investments, under the pretext of the Investment Law of 1973.