Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2014 23:40:01 +0200
EU-Africa summit may lead to increased imperialist interventions
Gathering in Brussels undermines African unity
Abayomi Azikiwe
2014-04-16, Issue <http://www.pambazuka.org/en/issue/674> 674
<http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/91379>
http://pambazuka.org/en/category/features/91379
<http://chimpreports.com/index.php/regional-news/kenya/18863-uhuru-urges-inf
rastructural-dev%E2%80%99t-at-eu-africa-summit.html>
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Thirty six African heads of state recently attended an EU-Africa summit on
the theme "Investing in People, Prosperity and Peace." Yet, behind the
scenes the EU plans to deploy a thousand troops to join UN troops in the
Central African Republic
A two-day conference on April 2-3 in Belgium was not attended by several key
African leaders from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Malawi, Eritrea and Sudan. The
European <http://pambazuka.org/en/category/features/91379>
Unionhttp://savingsslider-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png (EU)
by-passed guidelines set down by one of the leading organs of the African
Union (AU), the Peace and Security Council, in convening and carrying out
the summit.
Held under the theme of "Investing in People, Prosperity and Peace,"
advanced no real initiatives for the continent. At present the EU is
deepening its military interventions on the continent and examining send
soldiers into the volatile situation inside the Central African Republic
(CAR).
It was reported by the conveners of the Summit that 36 African
heads-of-state were in attendance. The AU has 54 members all of whom are
independent with the exception of the people of the Western Sahara who are
still under Moroccan occupation.
Morocco, which withdrew from the AU over the recognition of the Sahawari
Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in the Western Sahara, along with Egypt,
that was suspended in the aftermath of the military coup on July 3, 2013,
were invited to the gathering. The EU announced earlier on that they would
not in invite the AU as a regional body, but only individual African states.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta was contemplating not to attend due to the
visa denial of his security director. Eventually Brussels relented and
granted the visa.
Kenyan Foreign Affairs principal secretary Karinja Kibicho told the Zimbabwe
Herald that "The trip had earlier been cancelled by State House due to the
unexplained refusal by Belgium to issue an EU travel visa to the head of
presidential security. The refusal of a visa for a
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of the Kenyan delegation sent the wrong signal that the EU is in a position
even to dictate even the security arrangements of African heads of state."
(April 3)
This same article went on to say that "These actions in their totality make
for an unfortunate precedent in the proper running of international
relations. The government notes that if indeed the EU-Africa Summit is
intended to advance mutual interests, such a worthwhile goal must be rooted
in the recognition that Africa and EU countries are meeting in Brussels as
partners and equals."
President Joyce Banda of Malawi did not attend the summit either. Banda is
the chairperson of the regional Southern African Development Community
(SADC).
SUMMIT COULD LEAD TO GREATER EUROPEAN MILITARY INTERVENTION
Prior to the convening of the EU-Africa Summit, a crisis gathering was held
on April 1 involving the current political and security crisis inside the
Central African Republic (CAR). 13 European states and 12 African nations
attended pre-Summit talks along with United Nations Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon.
In the aftermath of this meeting, the EU announced that it was establishing
a long-discussed military mission in the CAR. The plan is to deploy 1,000 EU
troops which would join another 12,000 soldiers coordinated by the United
Nations.
At present there are an estimated 8,000 foreign forces occupying the CAR
including 2,000 troops from France, the former colonial power in the
mineral-rich state. Despite the presence of French soldiers and 6,000 allied
African troops, violence against the minority Muslim population is
continuing.
Approximately one-quarter of the overall population of less than five
million has been displaced. Thousands more people within the Muslim
community remained trapped even in the capital of Bangui.
The new interim government of President Catherine Samba-Panza and Prime
Minister Andre Nzapayeke was installed in January after the forced
resignation of Michel Djotodia who headed the Muslim-dominated Seleka
Coalition. Seleka took control of the capital of Bangui in March 2013 after
France refused to provide any security assistance to the ousted government
of Francois Bozize.
EU Foreign Policy Minister Catherine Ashton indicated that the deployment of
troops would take place in a relatively short time, although no firm date
was set. According to Ashton, the EU has a firm "determination to take full
part in international efforts to restore stability and security in [CAR's
capital city] Bangui and.across the Central African Republic." (DW, April 1)
"It is <http://pambazuka.org/en/category/features/91379>
vitalhttp://savingsslider-a.akamaihd.net/items/it/img/arrow-10x10.png that
there is a return to public order as soon possible, so that the political
transition process can be put back on track," Ashton said. Nonetheless, the
enhanced intervention of France with the logistical support of the United
States has worsened the security and humanitarian situation inside the CAR.
Food assistance pledged by the UN has not been forthcoming as Muslim
shopkeepers and traders have fallen victim to the Christian-dominated
Anti-Balaka militias who have facilitated the looting of businesses and the
disruption of transport routes. The UN estimates that some 19,000 Muslims
still remain in mortal danger while tens of thousands of others have fled to
nearby Chad and Cameroun.
The presence of both Chadian and French troops has drawn widespread
opposition throughout the CAR within both the Christian and Muslim
communities. During the EU-Africa Summit, Chad announced that it was
withdrawing its military forces from the CAR.
France has been accused of siding with the Christian community and not
actively pursuing the armed Anti-Balaka militias. Chad, on the other hand,
has been charged with favoring the Muslims in their efforts to transport
people out of the capital and other areas where there have been violent
campaigns against Islamic neighborhoods, mosques and businesses.
Chadian troops were accused in the shooting deaths of 30 CAR civilians. Chad
denied that the events were unprovoked and that their forces were fired upon
first.
The U.N. said that the response by the Chadian forces were disproportionate
to the danger involved. Ban Ki-moon visited the CAR for the first time since
the large-scale intervention of France and regional African peacekeeping
forces on April 5 and warned that the country must not become another Rwanda
where hundreds of thousands were killed twenty years ago.
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