Into Africa

On her tour of South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, Theresa May finally made a positive case for Brexit. For too long her government has tried simply to salvage what they can of Britain’s trading relationship with the EU, overlooking the possibilities that Brexit offers to build trading relations with the wider world. 

The tone of this week’s tour, however, was different: a pitch for how Britain can make new alliances. This country will soon have the freedom to do so — no longer bound by its role as the most reluctant member of a 28-nation bloc. The opportunity is to treat African nations as partners and equals, not as risks or charity cases.

The EU’s protectionist policies that did so much to worsen poverty — placing tariffs on basic farm produce — can be replaced by a new era of increased trade and economic development. Food production is the one industry where African countries tend to have a comparative advantage over European producers.