The Sahara Desert is a Policy Failure

It’s obviously for bad reasons, but it is nice to see container ships back in the news. I say this because container ships have had a hugely beneficial impact on our lives and have helped to bring growth and prosperity to the world. 

International trade is a great thing and it is only those on the (unfortunately enlarged) fringes of economics and politics who would deny this. Containerisation not only increased international trade, it also increased the positive impact of international trade. Thanks to container ships businesses can transport goods quickly and efficiently all around the world. What is more, although the shipping industry is obviously a significant polluter, it actually reduced emissions as it gives businesses and consumers access to products produced in a less carbon intensive way. 

I think that container ships are a bit like plumbing. You don’t really notice it when things are operating normally, but if something goes wrong then you definitely do notice it. We take for granted that we can get our hands on food and other goods from the other side of the world and that it doesn’t cost us that much and in a way that is actually good for the environment. 

We have seen what can go wrong when things aren’t operating as they should. This was the case with the disruption caused by the Covid pandemic and then the obstruction of the Suez Canal in March 2021. We are beginning to see it again with the attacks on vessels in the Red Sea by Houthi terrorists. If shipping is disrupted, then so is international trade.

The UK and US governments were criticised for launching attacks on the Houthi terrorists by people saying that this prioritised shipping containers over human life. I obviously have a huge deal of sympathy for the plight of civilians suffering in Gaza and have previously made the case for the UK offering refuge to them. However, terrorist attacks which are funded and equipped by the evil and murderous Iranian regime are designed to cause widespread suffering around the world and so it is imperative that the Houthi terrorists are wiped out so that they can no longer disrupt international trade and exacerbate the cost of living crisis.

The UK and the world needs to ensure that goods can flow around the world in the most efficient way possible. Right now this looks like guaranteeing free passage through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. We should also look at creating even more routes. Much of the discussion during the pandemic was about diversifying supply chains in order to make them more resilient to shocks. This is absolutely the right approach to take. 

However, part of this supply chain diversification should involve the creation of more trade routes. We need to ensure that goods and people can travel as quickly and smoothly as possible if we want to not only ensure that global trade remains resilient to shocks, but to also lower costs and boost trade even further.

A completely bonkers way we could do this would be by flooding part of the Sahara Desert to create a new sea. The Sahara Sea would have the potential to bring new life to the region and make agriculture viable. Building a system of new canals linking it to the Suez Canal and the rest of Africa would not only boost trade within Africa, it would also provide more routes for vessels to reach Europe and the Americas. 

I refer to it as bonkers because in many ways it clearly is as the expense would be enormous. However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t give it serious consideration. It should be a joint venture between like minded countries who could pool their resources to work on one of the greatest engineering projects of all time. The fact that it would boost global trade within Africa and around the world while also benefiting the environment should be reason enough for it to be considered. What is more, it would likely lead to breakthroughs in Science and engineering which could help humanity flourish now and into the far future.

Creating the Sahara Sea really is outlandish and was first thought up in the 19th Century. However, that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. The Suez Canal was the realisation of an ancient ambition and a remarkable feat of engineering. Even if the Sahara Sea is not yet feasible to achieve in a cost effective way, who knows what developments it could bring to humanity and the world. We should seriously look into it.

Words matter

Last week I wrote an article for the Evening Standard on why the government needs to start being honest with the public. National Insurance Contributions are a tax and the State Pension is a benefit. We should start referring to them as such.

Meat!

I also wrote an article for CapX about meat which you can read here. The government is wrong to be concerned about British farmers being undercut by foreign competition. Imports are great and the government should be doing all it can to increase imports. However, its plans for clearer labelling are actually a good thing, not least of all because they should pave the way for the introduction of things like chlorinated chicken and hormone treated beef.

Thanks as ever for reading. Have a great week and stay warm!

Ben