The European Union’s (EU) inability to act against an Icelandic company following its involvement in one of Africa’s biggest scandals has rendered hollow its fight against corruption. In the $20 million “Fishrot Scheme” scam unearthed in 2019, the Akureyri, Iceland-based Samherji was accused of illegitimate trawling in Namibia’s waters. For this, the company, one of the world’s largest, allegedly bribed Namibian government officials and embezzled funds, besides intimidating its critics. The Fishrot scam was unearthed at a time when Namibia was grappling with the covid-19 pandemic and its economic fallout. It led to the collapse of the fishing industry, wiping out jobs and livelihoods.
SOURCE: QUARTZ AFRICA