Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service)- Crime is a component of Africa’s underdevelopment. This emerged during the presentation of a new report issued by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime UNODC. The report was presented yesterday 18 July at the Italian foreign office in Rome by UNODC executive director Mr Antonio Maria Costa.
“The report” Mr Costa said at the media conference attended by Fides “rather than an academic study is a work of preparation for important events and major decision making”. He was referring to the recent G8 meeting in Scotland and a Round Table discussion on Development to be held 5-6 September in Abuja (Nigeria), chaired by Nigerian president Mr Olusegun Obasanjo.
The report was produced by UNODC in collaboration with African scholars. The first draft was produced by a South African research centre. This was to make sure that the document would reflect African rather then “western” concepts. In fact the report includes opinion polls taken on the continent on various subjects. With regard to corruption for example one out of five Africans polled in their homes said they had been asked to pay a bribe by a public official in the last twelve months. “A percentage unequalled in the world” the report said.
Corruption, trafficking of humans, arms and drugs and the explosion of common crime are obstacles to development of this continent which on paper has all the requirements for economic development: ample natural resources, young population (Africa is the world’s youngest continent). However less than 1% of global Foreign Direct Investment comes to Africa, with 40% of private portofoglios being held outside the continent. Over 29% of business people in Africa say crime is investment’s worst enemy, before taxes, inflation and infrastructures. Crime has a negative affect on tourism which is responsible for 6% of jobs and over 7% of the GDP.
Another serious crime is human trafficking. The report said it is difficult to estimate the number of victims of human trafficking which involves hundreds of thousands of people every year. Destinations outside Africa include European countries where one of every three victims is African and the Middle East. Fides is preparing a dossier on the situation of women in Africa and trafficking of women in Italy. Even more serious is human trafficking in Africa where Ivory Coast, South Africa, Nigeria and Gabon are the main destinations.
Africa is used more and more as a transit point for Colombian cocaine and Afghan heroin destined for Europe and North America. At the local level marijuana and hashish are grown in northern Africa and Nigerian drug travels as far away as the Andes and Pakistan.
To end this situation African countries must be encouraged in their efforts to render public life more moral and the Report mentions progress made in this regard and help strengthen judicial and police systems in Africa to restore the confidence of citizens who often fail to report crimes against them, many of which are committed by representatices of the security forces. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 19/7/2005 righe 50 parole 623)
