Quo Vadis Africa As 36 African Leaders Attend EU Summit
April 2, 2014
Hebert Zharare Political Editor
Zimbabwe Herald
THE African Union’s unity came under the spotlight yesterday as it emerged 36 heads of state and Government are attending the EU-Africa Summit starting today in Brussels, Belgium, snubbing the continental body’s own January resolution not to attend the event if the EU insisted on cherry-picking participants.
Reports from Brussels indicated yesterday that out of 54 African countries, 48 had confirmed taking part at the 4th EU-Africa summit running between today and tomorrow and 36 of them were represented at head of state and/or government level.
This, analysts say, was a great betrayal to the struggle for self determination and respect as members should have convened an extra-ordinary meeting to consult and find reasons proffered by those that saw the need to participate at the summit despite the resolution to boycott.
The AU’s Peace and Security Council representatives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia last Tuesday had advised that the bloc would not attend the summit to protest how Europe was holding the continent in contempt by determining the eligibility of participants to the event. The PSC is the AU’s most powerful organ with the mandate to enforce union decisions, but the Tuesday resolution was not taken heed of.
President Mugabe, South African leader Cde Jacob Zuma and Malawian president Mrs Joyce Banda have been confirmed as not attending the summit, the EU ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Aldo Dell al Ariccia said yesterday.
“So far things are moving smoothly and there is an inter-ministerial meeting going on right now (yesterday). As of today (yesterday), 48 African countries and 28 EU members had confirmed their participation. At least 36 African countries are represented at head of state and government level and others at ministerial level. On the EU side, 22 countries are represented at head of state and government level and others are represented by foreign ministers. There are 58 heads of state and government out of 80 countries represented,” he said. Other countries that did not attend the meeting either their leaders were not invited or dropped later are Gambia, Central African Republic, Guinea Bissau, Eritrea and Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic.
Egypt was invited even though it is suspended from the AU because of a military coup – tacitly backed by some EU members and the United States that removed legitimately elected president, Mr Mohamed Morsi, in July last year.
Morocco, which is not an AU member and which colonised SADR and has close ties to the EU and USA, is attending the meeting.
Morocco pulled out of the AU (then the Organisation of African Unity) in 1984 because the bloc had accepted SADR’s membership. The EU initially had sent an invitation to Zimbabwe but not to President Mugabe.
The EU only sent a personal invitation to the President when he was elected the AU’s First Deputy Chair and the continent threatened to boycott the summit if he was not present, still barred First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe from accompanying her husband to the meeting.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has also not been invited but an “invite” was sent to his country saying he will be arrested and taken to the International Criminal Court.
However, observers yesterday said many African leaders were mortgaging their natural resources for “a few pieces of silver”, in the process depriving future generation of a source of livelihood.
Oil, precisions minerals such as gold, diamonds and platinum among others were being shipped to the West I their raw state, with the continent surviving on cramps and some handouts. Some countries Cote d’Ivoire are still under bondage and pay rent to France for using State residence and Parliament building. Midlands State University lecturer, Dr Nhamo Mhiripri, said it was unfortunate that some African countries decided to attend the event after a resolution to boycott had been passed.
“If the African leaders are attending the summit, it is unfortunate because they are going against their own resolution. This shows unclearness in ideology. If your ideology is not clear, it also means even on the economic front your decisions will be weird.
“Africa has been ruled on the basis of divide and rule and this is continuing. Some countries have their budgets to pay their civil servants and the military sponsored by European countries. The problem is more pronounced in Francophone countries like Senegal, where the colonial interests are still stronger.
“Probably out of all the former colonies, it is only Zimbabwe that has managed to extricate itself from the former coloniser – we are beyond colonialism. However, more benefits accrue on the European side because of the asymmetrical relationship that exists,” he said.
Political and social commentator, Mrs Margaret Dongo, said by attending the summit, the majority of African leaders showed that they were not principled.
“This shows that most of these African leaders are not principled. Why are they attending the meeting after they had resolved to boycott it? I think it’s now a matter of where their bread is battered,” she said.
Political analyst and University of Zimbabwe lecturer, Dr Charity Manyeruke, said the African leaders attending the summit were being bullied to take part in the event.
“Many African leaders have been bullied by the EU and the West to attend the meeting, thereby making themselves very vulnerable. Some countries have gone to the extent of relying on everything from the West including human, material and monetary resources,” she said.
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| AU Commission Chair Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma based in Addis Ababa. |
Hebert Zharare Political Editor
Zimbabwe Herald
THE African Union’s unity came under the spotlight yesterday as it emerged 36 heads of state and Government are attending the EU-Africa Summit starting today in Brussels, Belgium, snubbing the continental body’s own January resolution not to attend the event if the EU insisted on cherry-picking participants.
Reports from Brussels indicated yesterday that out of 54 African countries, 48 had confirmed taking part at the 4th EU-Africa summit running between today and tomorrow and 36 of them were represented at head of state and/or government level.
This, analysts say, was a great betrayal to the struggle for self determination and respect as members should have convened an extra-ordinary meeting to consult and find reasons proffered by those that saw the need to participate at the summit despite the resolution to boycott.
The AU’s Peace and Security Council representatives in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia last Tuesday had advised that the bloc would not attend the summit to protest how Europe was holding the continent in contempt by determining the eligibility of participants to the event. The PSC is the AU’s most powerful organ with the mandate to enforce union decisions, but the Tuesday resolution was not taken heed of.
President Mugabe, South African leader Cde Jacob Zuma and Malawian president Mrs Joyce Banda have been confirmed as not attending the summit, the EU ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Aldo Dell al Ariccia said yesterday.
“So far things are moving smoothly and there is an inter-ministerial meeting going on right now (yesterday). As of today (yesterday), 48 African countries and 28 EU members had confirmed their participation. At least 36 African countries are represented at head of state and government level and others at ministerial level. On the EU side, 22 countries are represented at head of state and government level and others are represented by foreign ministers. There are 58 heads of state and government out of 80 countries represented,” he said. Other countries that did not attend the meeting either their leaders were not invited or dropped later are Gambia, Central African Republic, Guinea Bissau, Eritrea and Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic.
Egypt was invited even though it is suspended from the AU because of a military coup – tacitly backed by some EU members and the United States that removed legitimately elected president, Mr Mohamed Morsi, in July last year.
Morocco, which is not an AU member and which colonised SADR and has close ties to the EU and USA, is attending the meeting.
Morocco pulled out of the AU (then the Organisation of African Unity) in 1984 because the bloc had accepted SADR’s membership. The EU initially had sent an invitation to Zimbabwe but not to President Mugabe.
The EU only sent a personal invitation to the President when he was elected the AU’s First Deputy Chair and the continent threatened to boycott the summit if he was not present, still barred First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe from accompanying her husband to the meeting.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has also not been invited but an “invite” was sent to his country saying he will be arrested and taken to the International Criminal Court.
However, observers yesterday said many African leaders were mortgaging their natural resources for “a few pieces of silver”, in the process depriving future generation of a source of livelihood.
Oil, precisions minerals such as gold, diamonds and platinum among others were being shipped to the West I their raw state, with the continent surviving on cramps and some handouts. Some countries Cote d’Ivoire are still under bondage and pay rent to France for using State residence and Parliament building. Midlands State University lecturer, Dr Nhamo Mhiripri, said it was unfortunate that some African countries decided to attend the event after a resolution to boycott had been passed.
“If the African leaders are attending the summit, it is unfortunate because they are going against their own resolution. This shows unclearness in ideology. If your ideology is not clear, it also means even on the economic front your decisions will be weird.
“Africa has been ruled on the basis of divide and rule and this is continuing. Some countries have their budgets to pay their civil servants and the military sponsored by European countries. The problem is more pronounced in Francophone countries like Senegal, where the colonial interests are still stronger.
“Probably out of all the former colonies, it is only Zimbabwe that has managed to extricate itself from the former coloniser – we are beyond colonialism. However, more benefits accrue on the European side because of the asymmetrical relationship that exists,” he said.
Political and social commentator, Mrs Margaret Dongo, said by attending the summit, the majority of African leaders showed that they were not principled.
“This shows that most of these African leaders are not principled. Why are they attending the meeting after they had resolved to boycott it? I think it’s now a matter of where their bread is battered,” she said.
Political analyst and University of Zimbabwe lecturer, Dr Charity Manyeruke, said the African leaders attending the summit were being bullied to take part in the event.
“Many African leaders have been bullied by the EU and the West to attend the meeting, thereby making themselves very vulnerable. Some countries have gone to the extent of relying on everything from the West including human, material and monetary resources,” she said.
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