Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)

I welcome this motion but urge the Government to accept Fine Gael's amendment. The EU-Africa Summit scheduled to take place in Lisbon will be the first of its kind in seven years. It offers a major opportunity for Europe not just to forge stronger and improved relations with Africa, but also to put pressure on African leaders and their governments to take action when human rights abuses occur. Since 1980, we have seen the catastrophic effects of Robert Mugabe's rule in Zimbabwe. Land has been seized and 1.5 million people have been displaced from their homes. Four out of five people are living below the poverty line, while one quarter of the population has fled the country.

There is an opportunity for the European Union to take a stand on the matter. This is particularly the case for Ireland, which has a proud record of humanitarian aid and peacekeeping work. There is a risk that this critical summit will be completely upstaged by the presence of Robert Mugabe. The Taoiseach should not stand shoulder to shoulder with Mugabe, thus lending him credibility and legitimacy on the world stage.

In 2002, following rigged elections in Zimbabwe, the EU imposed a visa ban on Mr. Mugabe and almost 100 senior Zimbabwean officials and government ministers. EU observers were denied an opportunity to participate in election monitoring at that time. I would like to know what has changed in the interim. Why have the visa restrictions on this despotic dictator been relaxed to allow him to attend the Lisbon Summit? Why is he being granted legitimacy by being treated as the head of a normal, democratic state?

In his speech, the Minister said the strategy to be adopted at the Lisbon Summit will place respect for human rights, freedom, equality, solidarity, justice, the rule of law and democracy at the centre of the EU-Africa partnership. I understand that European governments will sign up to those principles, but how can the Minister claim that Robert Mugabe will stand by such principles or honour any commitments made at the summit?

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