According to the NGO, the digging of inequalities is largely linked to a lack of political will of African leaders, who maintain tax systems favorable to the richest.
( AFP / JUSTIN TALLIS )
The richest four billionaires in Africa have more than half of the continent’s population, the OXFAM NGO in a report on Thursday 10 July. A situation that illustrates the digging of inequalities, stronger than elsewhere in the world.
More
a third of the population of the continent lives below the extreme poverty line
or 460 million people, according to the World Bank, and the number of poor people continues to increase. “Four of the richest billionaires in Africa today hold a fortune of $ 57.4 billion, more than
the combined wealth of 750 million people
that is to say half the population of the continent, “explains Oxfam.
According to the ranking established by the magazine
Forbes
At the start of the year, the first four billionaires of the continent are the Nigerian
Aliko Dangote
(cement, sugar, fertilizers, etc …), South Africans
Johann Rupert
(Luxe) and
Nicky Oppenheimer
(diamonds), as well as the Egyptian
Nassef Sawiris
(Industry and construction).
The NGO explains that the digging of inequalities is largely linked to a lack of political will of African leaders, who maintain
Tax systems favorable to the richest and ineffective.
“The wealthy people who place their heritage in corporate structures and transfer their capital abroad (…) see their fortune multiply without being imposed proportional,” describes Oxfam.
No increase in effective tax rates since 1980
The NGO stresses that Africa is the only region in the world where countries have not increased effective tax rates since 1980.
According to the organization, tax the richest Africans by 1% more on their wealth and 10% more on their income would allow
Finance access to education and electricity on the continent.
African governments “are on average among the least committed to reducing inequality,” said Oxfam. “Research by Oxfam shows that more than three -fifths of the fortune of billionaires around the world come
cronyism, corruption, abuse of monopolistic power and inheritance
“, which is” particularly true in Africa “.
“There is no shortage of the wealth of Africa, they are squandered by a rigged system that allows a small elite to raise immense fortunes while depriving hundreds of millions of people from the most basic services,” said Fati N’zi-Hassane, director of Oxfam in Africa, criticizing this “political failure” in a press release.
“Extreme inequalities threaten to undermine democracy, hinder poverty reduction and growth, aggravate the climate crisis, accentuate injustices between sexes and other injustices (…) and lead to denial of fundamental rights and the dignity of ordinary citizens,” said the NGO.
The report was published on the day of the opening of the semi -annual meeting of the African Union, which is committed to reducing inequalities by 15% on the continent during the next decade.
