We and the African Diversity are neither science nor solidarity

Nothing like the Omicron case shows Europe’s utter inadequacy to lead the campaign against Covid. A caricature of the South African cartoonist Carlos Amato (Carlos New Frame), one of the cartoonists of the Guardian expresses this perfectly. Two viruses are talking in the bar and one asks each other, “So, Omicron, what are your symptoms practically?” The other, while reading a newspaper in which he announced a ban on flights to southern Africa, replies: “Panic .. with a touch of xenophobia.” The frenzy of European behavior was revealed by a message, which traveled the world, from two important figures, one of whom was a Mozambican, the writer and biologist Mia Couto and the Angolan José Eduardo Agualosa, both known in Italy for their books published by Celario and Nova. Frontera. It reads: “On the day Europe banned flights to and from Maputo, Mozambique recorded 5 new cases, zero hospitalizations, and zero deaths due to Covid-19. The situation was similar in other countries in southern Africa. On the contrary, most European countries were facing a massive wave of new infections. South African scientists have discovered and sequenced a new type of SARS-CoV-2 virus. At the same time, they transparently disclosed their discovery. Instead of applause, the state was punished. Besides South Africa, neighboring countries were also punished. Rather than offering to cooperate with Africans, European governments have turned their backs on and shut themselves in their own affairs.” Mia Couto notes that “a lack of solidarity was already present (and, of course, acceptable) in the appalling inequality in the distribution of vaccines.” In addition, Europe blocked the liberalization of patents The invention precisely at a time when the variables required the joint effort of laboratories from different parts of the world. The problem is also the hypocrisy and ugliness of the West, which never sent millions of promised doses to African countries. Today, there is no longer a need to close borders, precisely because the epidemic requires Globalization of the remedy and not dividing it in a selfish perspective that is otherwise suicidal. Is it possible that the impact of globalization is just an ideological facade? Is it possible that climate emergencies, environmental transformation policies and strategies to deal with new epidemics remain problems facing one country? Behind this situation, There is not only pure racism towards Africa, which still bears among us exclusively the image of a poor, desperate, gigantic and inconspicuous country, devoid of a class of researchers, professionals, doctors, and information workers T health. . The scandal is even stronger when it comes to Italy, as usual, which is immune to the story of Cinderella which, since there are no previous colonies associated with it, will not bear any responsibility towards the continent so close. Couto and Agualusa conclude: ‘New forms were to be expected within and outside the walls erected by Europe. But there is no: neither inside nor outside. Viruses mutate without geographical distinction. There are no epidemics. African countries were once again discriminated against. It is easy to imagine the economic and social implications of these latest measures. But South Africa is very far away. It is no longer just a question of lack of solidarity. And here we are working against science and against humanity.”

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