Mildred Ngesa
29 October 2007
Berlin — Europe's hostility towards Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and the decision by Britain to boycott the European Union - Africa Partnership Summit in December if Mr Mugabe is invited may divert attention from crucial trading prospects for the two regions.
Most of the countries in the European Union are yet to publicly confirm their intention to attend the summit which Zimbabwe's Mugabe, seen as a pariah and dictator by many here, has expressed his intentions to attend. At the same time, speculation and cynicism concerning the EU - proposed Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) amongst African governments, scholars, Economists and influential parties is growing on whether the proposed trade agreements will be of benefit or detrimental to Africa's survival and competition at the global level.
Earlier this week, Germany' Federal president Horst Kohler, whose accession to the presidency in 2005 was marked by a personal compassionate intention for a Germany-African partnership and who is seen by many as having a "soft-spot" for the African continent as opposed to his European counter-parts set on boycotting the summit over the Mugabe row.
"My hope is that (president) Mugabe will not be an obstacle to the very important summit. I personally appeal to all parties to attend and dialogue together for the sake of better understanding and interaction between the two sides". He aid. "The issue about Mugabe should not be a distraction at all.
The president also took the opportunity to urge EU countries not to apply "double-standards" in the trade negotiations to discredit Africa but instead initiate subsidies that would ensure fair dealings with the less-developed states.
President Kohler' appeal President Mugabe comes barely a month after Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown declared that he would boycott the summit if Mr Mugabe attends.
Abused his citizens
Britain, argues that President Mugabe rigged elections, abused his citizen's rights and presided over a mis-managed economy in his country.
But on the other hand, President Mugabe accuses the Western power and former Colonialists of plotting to oust him as well as embezzling the country's most palatial and productive lands to the detriment of black Zimbabweans.
Even though other EU countries are yet to declare their stand about attending the summit, the anti-Mugabe sentiments are once-again posing a serious threat to weather the summit will indeed take place or not as was witnessed back in 2003.
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Mugabe is not the duly elected President of Zimbabwe. He is a criminal.
Why should he dine with leaders of Europe while his own people can't even buy mealie meal - due to the cost or lack of it - or find fresh water to drink?
The money he would spend is blood money. How is it he and his cronies have it, yet no one else does?
The EU leaders should not legitimize this criminal by allowing him in their midst.