Letters | 25 June 2015

Free trade with Africa

Sir: Nicholas Farrell suggests that a naval blockade is the only solution to Italy’s immigration crisis (‘The invasion of Italy’, 20 June). Examining the causes of the situation might identify other measures.

Since the European Union effectively closed its borders to trade with Africa to protect European farmers from lower food prices, the agricultural economies of most African countries have been in decline.

Of course there is another reason for Africa’s decline. About 60 years ago, the Europeans found it convenient to convince themselves that in Africa self-government was better than good government. It followed that aid would be a convenient substitute for the risks or inconveniences of free trade. But the African dictators who emerged soon after were able to finance their corrupt and callous regimes on the beneficence of European taxpayers. Their own countries’ tax revenues were of no consequence and they dwindled.

Surely, therefore, what the EU needs to do is open its borders to free trade with Africa.