EU-Africa summit must not shirk from addressing Zimbabwe and Darfur

5th December 2007

THE EU-Africa summit must not shirk from addressing the tragedies unfolding in Zimbabwe and Darfur, Euro-MP Glenys Kinnock today urged.

The Labour MEP, Labour's European spokesperson on International Development, declined an invitation to attend the Summit, to be held in Lisbon this weekend, after Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe confirmed his attendance.

GLENYS KINNOCK. Co-President of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific States - EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, said:

"As Zimbabwe descends in economic collapse and social upheaval Mugabe continues to claim that it is all a British plot. He will strut around the Lisbon summit and he will, as usual, try to dominate the proceedings.

"I decided to decline the invitation issued to me by the Portuguese Development Minister to attend the EU-Africa Summit as my presence would be inconsistent with my support for Gordon Brown's position. I will, however, participate in a parliamentary meeting with the Pan African Parliament.

"I share the views recently expressed by more than a dozen prominent European and African writers including Vaclav Havel, Wole Soyinka and Nadine Gordimer who have condemned what they see as political cowardice on behalf of their leaders in failing to put Zimbabwe and Darfur at the top of the agenda at the Summit. I join them in calling for strong words and promises of strong action.

"The suffering of the people of Zimbabwe must be on the agenda in Lisbon, as must the plight of the people of Darfur where more than two million people have been driven from their homes and 200,000 have died.

"Europe's partnership with Africa depends on us all facing up squarely to our duties and responsibilities. We must not shirk when such tragedies unfold before our eyes."

Notes

• For more information please contact Lisa Stevens at the Labour European Office on 029 2022 7654 or 079 7367 8175.

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