Own Correspondent 

JOHANNESBURG – German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the weekend said critics of President Robert Mugabe must speak out in his face than boycott a European Union (EU)-Africa summit in Portugal in December. 

Mugabe’s presence at the summit has been the subject of fierce debate between African countries, who have rallied behind the Zimbabwean leader and the EU who are bitterly opposed to his presence at the summit. 

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he would boycott the summit if Mugabe was invited while several African leaders have threatened to boycott the meeting if the Zimbabwean is barred from Portugal. 

“Criticism of Mugabe can be levelled at him when he is there," Merkel told journalists at the end of an EU summit in Lisbon last Friday in response to Brown’s threats to boycott the summit. 

“I am going regardless," Merkel said. “I think we should have this summit ... it wouldn't be responsible if everyone was interested in Africa but not us (EU).” 

Earlier this month, Merkel told the media while on a visit to South Africa that although Zimbabwe was in a “disastrous state”, the southern African country must still be invited to the Portugal summit. 

Relations between Harare and the EU have been strained over the past seven years after the EU accused Mugabe of rigging elections and committing serious human rights violations against political opponents. Mugabe denies the charge. 

The Lisbon summit, the first in seven years, is set to discuss trade relations and other key issues between one of the world’s richest markets and its poorest. - ZimOnline