Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade

Absolutely. For many of the poorest people in the shanty towns of Africa and on the periphery of the cities of Asia—and, indeed, in central and eastern Europe—such exploitation is the only way out. If we want to live in a peaceful world in which the dream of treating human beings as human beings is a reality, we have a great deal to do. Today’s debate has shown what has been achieved but is also a salutary lesson in how much more remains for us all to do.