The leaders of Europe and Africa were to begin a landmark summit in Lisbon yesterday designed to forge a new partnership of equals but with expectations cooled by the long shadow of colonial history.
With host Portugal promising a weekend of no holds-barred debate, the gathering of prime ministers and presidents from approximately 70 countries offers the opportunity to both tackle common concerns and reopen wounds.
The two-day summit also marks a return to the European stage for Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, usually banned from the EU for allegedly rigging his 2002 reelection. The 83-year-old's presence has prompted former colonial power Britain to keep its ministers at home in protest.
PHOTO: EPA
Other European leaders, however, have ignored Britain's lead and argued that dialogue is the best place to deal with issues such as Mugabe's rights record and the conflict in the Darfur region.
"The realization of this summit is in itself a success as it signifies the reopening of political dialogue after seven long years," Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates said on the eve of what is only the second ever EU-Africa summit since an inaugural gathering in Cairo in 2000.
"This will be a summit where we can discuss the whole range of politics, free of taboos, without any no-go areas, and we can debate every subject with total freedom," he said.
African heads of state are likely to resist any effort to frame debate merely on Europe's terms with veteran Libyan leader Muammer Qaddhafi on Friday calling for European powers to compensate Africa for its colonial rule.
"The colonial powers must compensate the people that they colonized and whose riches they plundered," Qaddhafi said. "This will be one of the main issues of the summit -- compensation for the colonial period."
After the official opening of the summit in a giant exhibition center, the leaders were expected to begin a series of five debates on topics including peace and security, human rights and governance, immigration and employment, the environment and trade.
Zimbabwe is likely to feature when German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks for the EU during the rights and governance debate. South African President Thabo Mbeki, tasked to mediate in a feud between Zimbabwe's ruling party and opposition, will reply on behalf of Africa.
While the rights debate is likely to dominate headlines, the stickiest could be over trade where Europe has failed to persuade many African countries to sign up to new pacts once existing agreements expire at the end of the year.
Europe still remains the major market for African goods, but China's presence in the resource-rich continent is growing by the day as it seeks the raw materials needed to fuel its economic growth.
All but a handful of Africa's 53 heads of state are attending, notable exceptions being the ailing Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and Kenya's Mwai Kibaki, who is fighting for reelection later this month.
A massive security operation has been put in place, with roads sealed off and helicopters seen buzzing over the exhibition center where around 5,000 delegates and journalists are to gather.
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