Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe is expected next week to score a diplomatic victory against many Western nations when he visits France, two days after the renewal of European Union sanctions against him.
The trip comes as sub-Saharan Africa’s most influential nations Nigeria and South Africa have thrown their weight behind Mugabe, recommending lifting Zimbabwe’s suspension from the Commonwealth political council.
Although officials would not confirm at the weekend that Mugabe is indeed travelling to Paris next week, the long-time leader looks set not to miss the trip to Europe for the Franco-African summit on Thursday and Friday.
Senior foreign affairs official Willard Chiwewe last month indicated that the invitation to the summit had been accepted.
EU ambassadors have agreed to renew sanctions against Zimbabwe –including a ban on travel to EU states by the country’s leadership — for another 12 months beyond their expiry on February 18.
But the envoys also agreed on a waiver for Mugabe to attend the summit in Paris, after French leader Jacques Chirac sought a concession for an exemption on Mugabe, citing the need for face-to-face dialogue.
This invitation infuriated Britain, the United States and several European countries.
Britain’s Europe minister, Denis MacShane, said ”it would be a shame for it (the Franco-African summit) to be dominated by the presence of Mugabe and his small clan of thieves”.
Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has described France’s invitation to Mugabe as ”a tragedy” which ”amounts to a recognition and support of Mugabe’s gruesome record at home”.
The United States said the invitation was ”regrettable”.
France, already embroiled in a dispute with Washington and London over Iraq, has justified its Zimbabwe stance by arguing that Mugabe’s presence would help promote democracy, rule of law and human rights in his troubled southern African country.
Under the EU sanctions, Mugabe, his wife Grace, and 70 leading government or ruling party officials are not authorised to enter EU territory. Last year, Mugabe was, however, allowed to attend a UN food summit in Rome.
The sanctions also include a freeze on assets held in the EU by Zimbabwe’s leaders.
The controversial trip is certain to be a booster for the country’s battered image and coincides with Mugabe’s birthday. He turns 79 on February 21.
Mugabe, whose country is reeling under acute shortages of basics, a devastating famine, chaotic land reforms, hyperinflation of over 208% and unemployment levels of around 70%, has of late been a thorn in the flesh for many western nations.
Nearly a third of the population faces serious hunger amid allegations that food is distributed on grounds of political affiliation.
But support Mugabe receives from some African countries is a spanner in the works of the European Union, which on Friday indefinitely postponed an April 5 EU-Africa summit in Lisbon, after failing to secure guarantees that Mugabe would not attend.
EU member states such as Britain had threatened to boycott the Lisbon summit if Mugabe showed up, and some African countries had threatened in turn to stay away if the Zimbabwean president was not invited.
British gay and human rights activist Peter Tatchell is seeking to arrest President Mugabe on his arrival in Paris next week for alleged rights abuses.
Nigeria and South Africa, the majority members of a troika which suspended Zimbabwe from the councils of the 54-member Commonwealth in March last year, have indicated that they want to see Zimbabwe readmitted.
But Commonwealth chief Don McKinnon says the political and human rights situation in Zimbabwe has not improved since last year.
A civic group, the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, said since Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth last year for breaching democratic rights, ”human rights abuses, torture, arbitrary arrests and assaults have been on the increase”. -Sapa-AFP