2025.09.20 – Money of Africa, France, HIV/AIDS, SIV, Bushmeat, and Related Practices – My Diary

Exhaustive Narrative of Facts

The CFA franc was created in 1945 and is used in 14 African countries that were formerly French colonies.
The CFA franc was historically linked to the French franc and is now tied to the euro.
For decades, countries using this currency were required to deposit a significant portion of their foreign reserves into the French Treasury. Initially this requirement was up to 65%, though it has since been reduced.
This system provided monetary stability but also maintained dependency on France, and many critics have described it as a form of neocolonialism.
There are ongoing reform plans: in West Africa, the CFA franc is intended to be replaced by a new currency called the Eco, though the transition is slow.
It is not factually accurate that “all the money of Africa is sent to France,” but the reserve deposit mechanism gave France substantial financial influence.

A conspiracy theory claims that AIDS was created in a U.S. laboratory to exterminate Black populations.
There is no scientific evidence supporting this theory.
Scientific research has established that HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) originated from SIV (simian immunodeficiency virus), which infected humans after cross-species transmission.
The transmission likely occurred in Central Africa during the early 20th century, when humans came into contact with infected primate blood.
Retrospective analyses show HIV existed in Africa before being identified in the United States and Europe in the 1980s.
Genetic and medical evidence confirm HIV’s natural zoonotic origin, not an artificial laboratory creation.

Transmission from primates to humans occurred during hunting and butchering of wild animals.
Hunters and processors of bushmeat were exposed to infected primate blood through open wounds, skin cuts, or mucous membranes.
SIV adapted through mutation to infect human cells, leading to different strains of HIV.
This zoonotic transfer occurred multiple times, though only some transmissions resulted in widespread human epidemics.
The two main human variants are HIV-1, which caused the global pandemic, and HIV-2, which emerged in West Africa with more limited spread and milder progression.

Bushmeat consumption persists in many African regions.
In rural areas, bushmeat remains an important source of protein where domestic meat is less available.
In urban centers, bushmeat is also consumed, often considered a delicacy with cultural and traditional value.
Governments and health organizations strongly discourage bushmeat hunting and consumption due to risks of diseases including HIV, Ebola, and other zoonoses.
Some countries have imposed legal bans, but enforcement is inconsistent, and black markets continue to operate.
Bushmeat consumption still exists, though under more restrictions than in the past.

Primates (chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys): described as similar to red meat such as beef or goat, with a stronger, sometimes unpleasant taste for those unaccustomed. Considered culturally controversial due to genetic closeness to humans.
Antelopes/gazelles: taste compared to venison, lean and slightly sweet, regarded as a high-quality wild meat.
Large rodents (such as cane rats or agutis): taste compared to rabbit or chicken, sometimes with a nutty flavor, commonly consumed because of abundance and availability.
Fruit bats (flying foxes): flavor described as between chicken and fish, often prepared in soups or spiced stews, though associated with high disease risk including Ebola.
Cultural perception varies: antelopes and rodents are widely accepted, while primates and bats are more controversial and riskier from a health perspective.