AU snubs Mugabe in EU fight – Southern Eye 30 March 2014
The African Union (AU) Commission on Friday defied calls from one of its organs advising member-countries to boycott the fourth EU-Africa Summit scheduled for April 2 to 3.
AU’s decision is a blow to President Robert Mugabe who has been trying to influence African leaders to boycott the summit after his wife Grace was denied a visa to accompany him to Belgium.
The AU Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) had on Wednesday resolved to advise the heads of State and government to boycott the event.
The event is scheduled for Brussels in Belgium.
The PRC members’ decision was in reaction to European Union’s violation of an AU resolution by determining the composition of Africa’s delegation to the summit.
The PRC, in its resolutions, recommended to all member-states not to attend the summit as EU cannot determine Africa’s delegation.
Members of the PRC, which comprised ambassadors and representatives of regional bodies, had urged the EU Commission to extend its invitations to all African heads of States.
They said the exception should be in the case of those under AU sanction.
The EU Commission, however, ignored the call and barred Sudanese President Omar El-Bashir, from attending the summit.
The EU, however, invited Egypt, which is currently under AU sanctions, and Morocco, which withdrew from AU activities in 1984, to attend the summit.
It also declined to invite Eritrea, a member of the AU with no clear reason.
However, AU Commission deputy chairperson Eratus Mwencha on Friday addressed journalists on the preparations for the summit.
He said the AU Commission had concluded arrangements to attend the summit to address issues of interest to both continents.
Mwencha, who briefed journalists alongside Gary Quine, the EU head of delegation to the AU, said the fourth summit would consolidate on the trade co-operation between the two continents.
“The trade relations between the two unions currently stand at ?251 billion and needed to be promoted to attract more foreign direct investment and address other funding gaps to Africa.
“The summit will also resolve on efforts to tackle the challenges of global warming, environmental issues and technology transfer to fast track Africa’s development,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mugabe had signalled that he would skip the summit if the EU does not grant his wife a visa.
“We are sovereign and equals and the EU cannot decide on our delegations. The president, and Zimbabwe will not be there if they continue to hold out on the visa,” his spokesman George Charamba said on Friday.
COMMENTS
Imbwa.
I am sure ZBC is also not going to cover the goings on during the Summit because this Spook is not there.
Bravo AU! You can’t afford to pander to the whims of a lunatic. Let’s see if the spoilt brat will continue to throw his toys out.
I agree. Bravo. At least some members of the AU are thinking.
How are we equals? We have to accept donations of fees from our enemies for school fees, water, food, medicine etc. Can someone please tell how we are equals?
How are we equals? We have to accept donations from our enemies for school fees, water, food, medicine etc. Can someone please tell how we are equals?
The EU gets a two-for-one when Mugabe decides to join Grace in not attending. Awesome!
AU is an empty belly boys’ club. 34 years in power with re-cycled ministers. Africa should not allow to be draged down by this corrupt Zim govt.
What is the betting that the majority of the rest of the AU will attend, taking with them their begging bowls. They cannot afford to miss the chance of picking up a few crumbs which fall from the table! Certainly not because of the wishes of a geriatric old fool who has ruined his country.
Please less tell Mugabe that his enemies should not be our enemies.
I am happy he has at lat realised and accepted that the international conferences are not a bedroom. Hence he is not goingg!!
This is a sound decision by AU heads of state and consolidates the steady movement towards better and more democratic governance across the continent.
I have said it before and I will say it again. Zimbabwe is NOT Mugabe and Mugabe is not Zimbabwe. Wake up ZPF. What are you doing? You are destroyed because you could not tell the truth and because you have made on man you god. Wake up Zimbabwe and demand this government to resign and call for a fresh free and fair election under a totally new mandate. Wake up from your slumber opposition parties. Come 2018 there will be nothing left of this nation. Where are the Christians in ZPF? Where? And what are you doing?
EU once they call Africa our slaves and once they beg for intensive aid, this time we forgive but we never fulfill their interest which to divide Africa the evidence is EU already started, they invited Egypt, Eriteria and Morroco what do they benefit if they do so, this expresses how Africans are united, EU beggars!!!
@Bafunda, they are not our ( the peoples ) enemies, they are Bob’s enemies only because he couldn’t get his way. They are the people who really care about the citizens of our nation
The gvt in Egypt was overthrown because of its misdeeds and it was popular. Africa listerns more to leaders than to people so EU knows what happened in Egypt is what the people want. In their books they checked with UN and found countries like Eriteria and Saharawi not there. The Sudanese war lord is on the wanted list except if he wants to be arrested in Brussels.No spouses where invited so why should Zimbabwe cry as if Grace is the only first lady not invited.
This is EU invitation, not Au invitation. What is the problem with these African dictators? They are not even content with dictating everything in their own countries, including how many times a married couple should have sex per night. Now they want to extent their dictatorial powers to beyond African borders, along side their begging bowls. Gossh; may god have mercy on these foolish black faces who call themselves African leaders, on the basis of stealing one and every other election their opt to engage into.
can answer your question the problem is the african dictators only think of themselves and those around them!!
when it comes to donations the african leaders are gobbling it up for their own use when will some people learn!!
Mapingu, there are no dictators but they defend their rights and that is why EU is annoyed, there is incredible change!