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EU Makes Nice With Africa

Europe offers trade pacts that snub human rights; UK refuses to attend Lisbon summit

By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 7, 2007 8:10 PM CST

(Newser) – The EU will pooh-pooh human rights issues this weekend as it woos Africa with new trade pacts at a rare summit in Lisbon, the Economist reports. With China and India snapping up more African resources, Europe plans to offer friendly deals that leave out human rights demands. But the EU's invite to strong-arm Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was too much for Britain, which refused to attend.

EU offers will let Africa protect 20% of its markets while having free access to European goods—but countries like South Africa and Nigeria still claim they're being pressured by demands to sign deals by new year's. One African official is already scorning the summit: “Europe is jealous," he said. "They say we have gotten a new colonial master, but our old one wasn't so good.”

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, left, and Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates listen to the national anthems Thursday, Dec. 6 2007, at the Sao Bento Palace, the Premier's official residence, in Lisbon. Gadhafi arrived Thursday in Lisbon to participate in the EU-Africa summit over the weekend. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, left, and Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates listen to the national anthems Thursday, Dec. 6 2007, at the Sao Bento Palace, the Premier's official residence, in Lisbon....   (Associated Press)
Journalists watch on   TV the arrival of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe for the EU-Africa summit in Lisbon, Friday Dec. 7, 2007. Highlights of the two-day summit will include the launch of a new strategic partnership between the EU and Africa to tackle issues such as development, good governance, peace, security,...
Journalists watch on TV the arrival of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe for the EU-Africa summit in Lisbon, Friday Dec. 7, 2007. Highlights of the two-day summit will include the launch of a new strategic...   (Associated Press)
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, left, speaks with Portugal's Prime Minister Jose Socrates during arrivals for an EU Africa summit in Lisbon, Friday Dec. 7, 2007. Highlights of the two-day summit will include the launch of a new strategic partnership between the EU and Africa to tackle issues such as development,...
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, left, speaks with Portugal's Prime Minister Jose Socrates during arrivals for an EU Africa summit in Lisbon, Friday Dec. 7, 2007. Highlights of the two-day summit will...   (Associated Press)
Protestors dressed in costumes and masks depicting world leaders, from left to right, Germany's Angela Merkel, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, France's Nicolas Sarkozy and Sudan's Omar al-Bashir, put their hands over their ears after being woken up during a demonstration in Lisbon, Friday Dec. 7, 2007. The demonstration took place ahead...
Protestors dressed in costumes and masks depicting world leaders, from left to right, Germany's Angela Merkel, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, France's Nicolas Sarkozy and Sudan's Omar al-Bashir, put their...   (Associated Press)
A young couple looks at a map of Africa and Europe at the site of the EU-Africa summit Friday, Dec. 7 2007, in Lisbon.  (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
A young couple looks at a map of Africa and Europe at the site of the EU-Africa summit Friday, Dec. 7 2007, in Lisbon. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)   (Associated Press)
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