Iceland finance minister faces backlash after blaming Namibia for Fishrot corruption

Iceland’s finance minister, Daði Már Kristófersson, has said corruption in the Fishrot case is a reflection of Namibia and not Iceland. He made the remarks in an interview with Danish newspaper Berlingske while responding to questions on Icelandic fishing company Samherji and its operations linked to Namibia.

“This is a terrible case. But there is corruption in Namibia – not in Iceland,” he is quoted as saying.

His comments were made in the context of wider media coverage on Samherji and the Icelandic fishing industry.

The remarks come as a website recently showed Alda Seafood Holding ran Samherji’s foreign operations, and apologised for involvement in the Fishrot scandal.

However, it was later confirmed that the website is part of an artwork titled ‘We’re Sorry’, created by Icelandic artist Odee.

The project has been reported on previously and is not an official statement from Alda Seafood or Samherji.

The artwork uses a fake corporate-style apology page to draw attention to the Fishrot scandal and issues of accountability linked to the case.

In response to the Icelandic minister’s remarks, member of parliament Rodney Cloete has rejected the statement and says it does not reflect the wider nature of the Fishrot case.

Cloete says the argument that corruption in the matter is only a Namibian issue ignores the role of foreign companies involved in the fishing sector.

“I would ask the honourable minister to slow down for a moment, because this is not a new statement he is making. It is one of the oldest statements in the history of extractive economics,” says Cloete

He says Samherji is an Icelandic company and that senior executives linked to the matter have not faced prosecution in Iceland. He also says Iceland has rejected extradition requests related to the case.

“Six years on, the Icelandic prosecutor has concluded its investigation and not one Samherji executive has been charged in Iceland. Iceland has refused our extradition requests three times. And in that same window, the Icelandic government quietly paid Samherji more than N$120 million in public climate subsidies,” he says.

He also refers to comments made in the same Berlingske interview where the Icelandic minister said Iceland’s fisheries lobby has strong influence and makes reform difficult.

Cloete says this raises questions about consistency in the minister’s remarks.

“In the same article where he blamed Namibia, he also said Iceland’s fisheries lobby is ‘eating Icelandic democracy from the inside’,” Cloete says.

He says it is not accurate to isolate responsibility to one country when the case involves cross-border actions.

Cloete says Namibia has taken steps to address the case, including arrests, prosecutions and reforms in the fisheries sector.

Political analyst Marius Kudumo says the Icelandic minister’s statement is ill-informed.

He says corruption always involves two parties and cannot be attributed to one country only.

“Europe can’t escape being part of corruption. Why is the loot from Africa in European banks if Europe and the rest of the world don’t tolerate corruption?” Kudumo asks.

He says such statements can create the impression that corruption is only a Namibian problem and that it is tolerated locally.

The Fishrot case became public in 2019.

It involves allegations that fishing quotas were allocated in exchange for bribes to senior Namibian officials and involves Icelandic fishing company Samherji.

The case has led to arrests, resignations and ongoing court proceedings in Namibia, Angola and other jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom.

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