AU Commission Rejects Calls To Boycott EU-Africa Summit
— March 28, 2014
The African Union (AU) Commission on Friday defied calls from
one of its organs advising member-countries to boycott the 4th
EU-Africa Summit scheduled for April 2 and April 3.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AU Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) had on Wednesday resolved to advise the Heads of State and Government to boycott the event.
The event is scheduled for Brussels in Belgium.
The PRC members’ decision was in reaction to European Union’s violation of an AU resolution by determining the composition of Africa’s delegation to the Summit.
The PRC, in its resolutions, recommended to all member-states not to attend the summit as EU cannot determine Africa’s delegation.
Members of the PRC, which comprised Ambassadors and representatives of regional bodies, had urged the EU Commission to extend its invitations to all African Heads of States.
They said the exception should be in the case of those under AU sanction.
The EU Commission, however, ignored the call and barred Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe and his Sudanese counterpart, Omar El-Bashir, from attending the summit.
It said this was due to travel sanctions placed on them by the international community.
The EU, however, invited Egypt who are currently under AU sanction and Morocco, which withdrew from AU activities in 1984, to attend the summit.
It also declined to invite Eritrea, a member of the African Union with no clear reason.
However, Eratus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the AU commission, on Friday addressed newsmen on the preparations for the summit.
He said the AU Commission had concluded arrangements to attend the summit to address issues of interest to both continents.
Mwencha, who briefed journalists alongside Amb. Gary Quine, EU Head of Delegation to the AU, said the fourth summit would consolidate on the trade co-operation between the two continents.
“The trade relations between the two unions currently stand at 251 billion euros and needed to be promoted to attract more Foreign Direct Investment and address other funding gaps to Africa.
“The summit will also resolve on efforts to tackle the challenges of global warming, environmental issues and technology transfer to fast-track Africa’s development,’’ he said.(NAN)
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AU Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) had on Wednesday resolved to advise the Heads of State and Government to boycott the event.
The event is scheduled for Brussels in Belgium.
The PRC members’ decision was in reaction to European Union’s violation of an AU resolution by determining the composition of Africa’s delegation to the Summit.
The PRC, in its resolutions, recommended to all member-states not to attend the summit as EU cannot determine Africa’s delegation.
Members of the PRC, which comprised Ambassadors and representatives of regional bodies, had urged the EU Commission to extend its invitations to all African Heads of States.
They said the exception should be in the case of those under AU sanction.
The EU Commission, however, ignored the call and barred Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe and his Sudanese counterpart, Omar El-Bashir, from attending the summit.
It said this was due to travel sanctions placed on them by the international community.
The EU, however, invited Egypt who are currently under AU sanction and Morocco, which withdrew from AU activities in 1984, to attend the summit.
It also declined to invite Eritrea, a member of the African Union with no clear reason.
However, Eratus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the AU commission, on Friday addressed newsmen on the preparations for the summit.
He said the AU Commission had concluded arrangements to attend the summit to address issues of interest to both continents.
Mwencha, who briefed journalists alongside Amb. Gary Quine, EU Head of Delegation to the AU, said the fourth summit would consolidate on the trade co-operation between the two continents.
“The trade relations between the two unions currently stand at 251 billion euros and needed to be promoted to attract more Foreign Direct Investment and address other funding gaps to Africa.
“The summit will also resolve on efforts to tackle the challenges of global warming, environmental issues and technology transfer to fast-track Africa’s development,’’ he said.(NAN)
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