African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 1158: Chapter 167: Opportunity

Hughes said cheerfully to his brother, ”There’s no need to worry about that at all. To put it bluntly, if East Africa does attack, the Belgian Congo can only surrender, and it’s impossible for a large-scale war like those in Europe to happen.”

”We only have a population of several hundred thousand here, and most are immigrants from the Far East. If East Africa really had ambitions toward the Belgian Congo, they could have acted on them over a decade ago.”

”After all, although East Africa is located in Africa, the general impression of Africa doesn’t represent East Africa as a nation. East Africa has a population exceeding one hundred million, a strong military, and industrial capabilities comparable to European countries. We, the Belgian Congo, have no chances against East Africa, let alone now when the homeland has become a battlefield and can’t even care for the colony in the Belgian Congo.”

In Hughes’ view, as long as the Belgian Congo surrenders quickly, it is unlikely to suffer major blows, and Herman’s ideas don’t necessarily represent those of the East African Government.

He continued, ”The homeland’s war involves Germany and France, two Great Powers, with Belgium caught in between, suffering constant destruction. The two countries easily deploy tens of thousands of troops in Belgium, doing harm, which greatly impacts the populace.”

”Such a situation couldn’t happen in the Belgian Congo. To put it harshly, our colonial population might barely match the East African Defense Army. One charge from them, and we can only surrender by raising the flag. Furthermore, this assumes East Africa harbors ill intentions towards us. Overall, the Belgian Congo is much safer than the homeland, and most importantly, there are many opportunities here beneficial for the De Croo family’s development.”

After listening to his brother’s explanation, Herman suddenly realized he had been worrying unnecessarily. Now it can be said that East Africa reigns supreme in Africa, preventing large-scale wars.

Europe is different. Among the five Great Powers—UK, France, Germany, Austria, and Russia—power is evenly matched, none willing to yield, making it hard to overpower each other quickly. However, this greatly intensifies the war’s severity and length, causing enormous negative effects on civilians.

On the African continent, however, there’s no rival for East Africa. If they genuinely planned war against the Belgian Congo, most would choose to surrender rather than resist.

Colonies are ultimately colonies; most Belgian immigrants only regard it as a temporary foothold rather than having deep affections. So, surrendering comes without pressure for the Belgians here. Moreover, East Africa is a member of the world’s Great Powers, facing such a opponent, surrendering isn’t disgraceful.

Although Herman’s thoughts show some suspicion, they are understandable, primarily because their family fled here from the European battlefield and doesn’t want to encounter another war.

While discussing, Hughes didn’t forget to tease his nephews, giving them candies due to relative affluence.

”Sugar prices in the Belgian Congo are lower than in the homeland as we produce white sugar here. Now, Black Horn has several sugar factories, and East Africa is also a major sugar producer. So feel free to eat as much. This is Little White Rabbit creamy candy, a rather expensive brand, but don’t eat too much, or you’ll get cavities harmful to health,” Hughes said lovingly while ruffling his nephews’ heads.

Herman said, ”Hughes, you spent too much on this, they can’t be cheap, right? You haven’t married yet and shouldn’t spend so freely.”

Hughes replied, ”Brother, you don’t need to say much. My income is quite decent, and among family, there’s no need for two sets of words. These are special gifts for the nephews.”

Herman still couldn’t shake off his usual mindset, preferring to lecture using European habits and common knowledge, but what applies in the Belgian Congo as a Belgian colony greatly differs from the Belgian homeland.

So Hughes continued, ”The Belgian Congo is not as backward as you think, and prices here differ from those in the homeland. For instance, many tropical fruits and agricultural products are expensive domestically but not so valuable here.”

”Although industrial development isn’t quite advanced here, we’re close to East Africa, and it’s no exaggeration to say East Africa can provide all needed goods.”

The Belgian Congo is indeed one of East Africa’s product dumping grounds. Though it’s a Belgian colony, Belgium’s limited national strength lacks the courage to refuse East African activities in the Belgian Congo.

This also provides an essential foundation for Belgian Congo’s development. Apart from Belgian government investments, East African government investments in the Belgian Congo are also substantial, mainly focused on agricultural product processing.

Currently, as Belgium’s homeland has become a battlefield, the Belgian Congo has embraced new development opportunities. With less interference from the homeland, the colonial government of the Belgian Congo gains greater independence for concentrating power and resources on its own development.

Due to the war, the Belgian Central Government has effectively lost control over the Belgian Congo. In fact, before Herman’s family reached Black Horn, as Belgium’s homeland had fallen, the Central Government had embarked on a journey in exile and now operates out of France.

Thus, the Belgian Central Government is practically a clay Buddha crossing a river, struggling to save itself and won’t have time to care about the Belgian Congo far away.

In reality, as Brussels has fallen, the Belgian Congo colony has been cut off from the Central Government, functioning as an entirely independent governmental body.

For a while, the Central Government can barely even think about the existence of the Belgian Congo, granting the colonial government considerable autonomy, including tax withholdings.

On the other hand, while Germany and Belgium have turned hostile, Central African development hasn’t ended. It was led by East Africa anyway, so the absence of Germany doesn’t affect East African and Belgian collaboration. Furthermore, East Africa has acquired Gabon in the north, now bordering the Belgian Congo on three sides, favoring East Africa’s dominance in regional economic development.

With Germany gone, the process has accelerated. Currently, East Africa is discussing the Lebi Railway construction plan with the Belgian Congo government.

Since Gabon has become an East African colony, land traffic between East Africa’s southern Angola region and Gabon can commence. Linking Angola and Gabon requires passing through the Belgian Congo. East Africa’s initial plan starts from Cabinda City, following the South Atlantic coastline, traversing Black Horn and other Belgian Congo areas to connect with Libreville Port in Gabon.

Accelerated infrastructure development benefits both the Belgian Congo and East Africa. It’s a win-win situation, enhancing East Africa’s defense and economic development while tightening the Belgian Congo’s economic ties with East Africa, thus increasing the Belgian Congo’s revenues.

Importantly, there are many Belgians like Herman who fled to the Belgian Congo. Many among them have considerable wealth or status. Their migration from Belgium to the Belgian Congo benefits local consumption and investments.

Those who can reach here aren’t ordinary people. Take Herman, although his family is of modest means, he’s here because of his brother’s support. Without his brother’s success here, migrating would be much harder.

Overall, Belgium’s homeland war is, in fact, beneficial to the Belgian Congo. With wise use of this opportunity, the Belgian Congo’s future development looks promising, especially the last point, the influx of Belgian immigrants potentially brings the funds and talents the Belgian Congo lacks.

The Belgian Congo’s economic foundation isn’t too weak either. If these refugees can be guided to settle locally, it would greatly benefit the Belgian Congo, which already holds advantages in most aspects except for population compared to the homeland.