German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday accused the regime of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe of ”unspeakable acts” but said December’s European Union-African Union summit would go ahead even if he attended.
”It cannot be the case that we do not work with a continent just because one country commits unspeakable acts. So everybody will be invited,” said Merkel at the final press conference of the G8 summit in Heiligendamm in Germany.
She urged other nations in Southern Africa to use their influence to try to stem the political crisis in Zimbabwe.
”Mugabe’s policies are not acceptable. I therefore call on countries close to Zimbabwe to use their influence to help people, also in Zimbabwe,” she added.
Germany holds the rotating EU presidency until the end of June.
It will then be taken over by Portugal, who will host the summit in Lisbon.
The EU imposed a travel ban on Mugabe and more than 100 people closely linked to his regime after the Zimbabwean leader won elections in 2002 that international observers said were rigged.
Leading African politicians have denounced any suggested that Mugabe be barred from what would be the first Europe-Africa summit in seven years.
Ghanaian Foreign Minister Nana Akufo-Addo, whose country heads the African Union, and his South African counterpart Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma both came out against the idea in statements last month.
Mugabe is widely blamed for Zimabwe’s political and economic meltdown, marked by world-record inflation, 80% unemployment, and a recent violent crackdown on government opponents. – Sapa-AFP