A declassified email sent on April 2, 2011 to then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reveals the invasion of Libya was launched to prevent Muammar Gaddafi from establishing a pan-African currency based on Libya's gold Dinar.

According to the document posted on the US State Department website advisors to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the second son of Muammar Gaddafi, told sources the Libyan government held 143 tons of gold and a similar amount in silver valued at more than $7 billion. The gold and silver was to be used to establish an alternative currency to the French franc for African Francophone countries.

A large numbers of Western Africa nations are former French colonies and many continue to hold French as the official language. Madagascar in East Africa is also a Francophone country.