Every five seconds a child dies in Africa

‘to behave ethically in terms of trade with Africa it could be achieved overnight it just takes a government and Tynwald to stop allowing us to be part of the exploitation of Africa it may make a difference’

That Manx Radio story got me thinking about our links as an Island with Africa. I’ve been interested in this topic since the late 1970s when I was a campaigner against apartheid and the white regime in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).

Of course Manx links with Africa go back to when the Continent was first being exploited by colonial powers but I was hoping in the centuries since then we might have learned a thing or two.

In Africa a child dies every five seconds and yet it is one of the most resource rich areas on the planet. Many African States have huge wealth but sadly it is not used for the benefit of all their people.

The Isle of Man is heavily into trade with Africa much of which I’m sure is quite legal but we were also used to set up mechaisms to evade sanctions back in the days of apartheid and since then there have been scandals such as the Rwanda arms controversy, diamind explotation in Sirrea Leone and exploitation of the minderal wealth of the DRC.

Of course much of this took place back in the tail end of the last century and the Isle of Man has supposedly upped its game. However even quite recently there was a controversy over Manx based shipping interests being used to take phosphates from Western Sahara.

Latterly their is a great focus on behaving ethically in terms of the environment and the future of the planet. Its accepted that it will take time to achieve the changes necessary, However to behave ethically in terms of trade with Africa it could be achieved overnight it just takes a government and Tynwald to stop allowing us to be part of the exploitation of Africa it may make a difference to those children dying every five seconds!

Bernard Moffatt