Zuma no-show at EU-Africa summit
‘Africans not subjects to be told by Europeans who must attend’
BUSINESS and diplomats have responded tersely to this week’s snub by President Jacob Zuma of the fourth European Union (EU)-Africa summit in Brussels‚ after Zuma said Africans were “not subjects” to be told by Europeans “who must come” and “not come” to such an event.
There are no signs of an African boycott of the summit‚ despite earlier disagreements. Zimbabwe had accused the European Commission‚ host of the summit‚ of seeking to “choose” which African participants would attend.
Egypt‚ which has been invited‚ is currently suspended from the African Union (AU).
Sudan’s President Omar alBashir has not been invited‚ the EU said‚ as he would be arrested if he arrived in Europe because he is wanted by the International Criminal Court. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe‚ who is not going‚ had been given a waiver to attend‚ despite still being a subject of EU sanctions. But his wife‚ Grace‚ was denied a visa on the grounds that her presence was “not essential”.
The summit has the same theme – people‚ prosperity‚ peace – as those held in Cairo in 2000‚ Lisbon in 2007‚ and in Sirte‚ Libya in 2010‚ before its then leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown.
In Lisbon in 2007‚ the EU and the AU adopted a “joint strategy” to “overcome” a traditional donor-recipient relationship and co-operate as “equal partners in a globalised world”.
On Tuesday‚ the EU said the Brussels summit was a “partnership of equals‚ where we proceed by discussion”.
“The EU has done its utmost to ensure‚ in consultation with the African side‚ that all countries eligible can be represented at the appropriate level‚” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton spokesman Michael Mann said. Zuma’s snub came as foreigners this week indicated they were divided on investing in emerging markets.
South Africa and the EU are already at loggerheads over the unilateral cancellation by South Africa of more than 12 bilateral investment treaties. This has caused foreign investors to worry they will not get full market compensation if their assets are expropriated by the state.
European business and diplomatic representatives in South Africa on Tuesday gave a more measured response to Zuma’s remarks.
“As a bilateral chamber of commerce we do not comment on decisions of high level political leaders to participate or not to participate in meetings‚” Southern African-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Matthias Boddenberg said.
The Dutch and German embassies in South Africa referred queries to the EU delegation in Pretoria.
EU ambassador in South Africa Roeland van de Geer said on Monday the bloc was “surprised and disappointed” by Zuma’s snub‚ as the president had days earlier confirmed his participation. International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite NkoanaMashabane now heads SA’s delegation to the summit‚ accompanied by Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies. — BDLive