Au Congo, Gabon, Nigeria, Angola or Equatorial Guinea, it is difficult to discover what the oil manna was used for. Poverty, civil wars, the maintenance in power of dictatorial regimes, such is the inglorious record of oil exploitation in Africa. The precious oil feeds above all an unbridled corruption. In Congo-Brazzaville, President Denis Sassou Nguesso has set up a host of front companies which have enabled him to embezzle hundreds of millions of dollars. For this, it benefits from Western expertise. Some French companies and prestigious law firms have put their know-how at the service of this looting behind closed doors. Make no mistake about it. The mobilization of rich countries (G8) in favor of Africa looks above all like a communication operation. The tenant of the Elysee amuses the gallery with his tax on plane tickets but he affectionately smolders a handful of kleptocratic regimes. George Walker Bush claims to attack the outposts of tyranny but he receives the worst dictators in the White House as long as they have a few barrels to offer. Tony Blair fights to put the continent's debt on the magic slate but he turns a blind eye to the role of British banks in recycling money from corruption. It's time to put an end to the hypocrites' ball.