BELGIUM:The president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, whom critics accuse of destroying his country's economy and trampling on human rights, will attend an EU- Africa summit next week in Portugal.
"We got the invitation last week and we are going," a spokesman for Mr Mugabe told reporters yesterday, ending weeks of speculation about whether the controversial African leader would attend the first EU-Africa summit to be held in seven years.
British prime minister Gordon Brown confirmed he would boycott the summit. "Given the circumstances of the last 10 years and our attempts to give assistance in Zimbabwe, which have been thwarted and resisted, it is not possible for us to attend this summit and sit down with President Mugabe," said Mr Brown.
He is expected to send his minister for Africa, Mark Malloch Brown, to represent Britain instead.
However, British attempts to garner support for a boycott if Mr Mugabe attended the summit have failed as most EU leaders agreed it should not be cancelled because of one man. Only Czech prime minister Mirek Topolanek is expected to stay away from the summit while the Danish, Dutch and Swedish prime ministers are all expected to attend after expressing initial reservations.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will also attend the meeting, which is expected to agree a new EU- Africa strategy focusing on a range of issues including development, trade, climate change, energy and human rights.
Mr Mugabe has asked Portugal, holder of the EU's six-month rotating presidency, for a visa to travel to Lisbon, despite being blacklisted by the EU and barred from travelling to Europe. It is not expected that Britain will oppose the visa request.
More than 50 heads of state or government will attend the summit.