Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi yesterday had a last-minute meeting with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi at the end of the third EU-Africa summit held in Tripoli this week. The meeting was held just before Dr Gonzi left the Libyan capital after attending the final session of the summit, which brought together about 80 leaders from Europe and Africa.
The two discussed Malta’s role as a lobby for Mediterranean issues within the EU and spoke about issues of interest to both countries.
No further details were given in the brief comment the Prime Minister gave in a rush because the meeting came literally as Dr Gonzi’s staff was preparing to leave for the airport. The summit failed to produce an agreement between EU and African states on a climate change declaration, which would have aided negotiations at the latest round of United Nations talks on climate change in Cancun, Mexico.
“At the next summit on climate change in Cancun, Mexico, it is important that both Africa and the EU go with a common proposal,” Dr Gonzi said. “Unfortunately, there was no agreement on a final declaration. However, if you look at the joint action programme agreed, it is evident the EU is at the forefront with regard to the resources being made available to the African continent for mitigation measures.”
However, the summit did agree on a review of the action plan for African development for 2010- 2013, which was first agreed in Lisbon three years ago. The plan puts in place a programme of aid and investment for the next three years.
Asked about Col Gaddafi’s insistence at the opening of the summit on Libya’s demand for €5 billion a year to stop illegal immigration, Dr Gonzi pointed out the financial agreement between Italy and Libya along these lines had borne fruit.
However, while the agreement was based on a “model which one can look at to improve the situation, the real solution is not this”, he said. “Instead, we should make sure there is the right investment in the African countries, from where people come, in the areas of education, health and economic development, which was the main theme of this summit.”
The summit came to an end in the afternoon, later than expected after being plagued with organisational mishaps. In fact, the programme went out of the window on Monday when the opening session was delayed, having a knock-on effect on the rest of the summit.
There were a few notable absences among the leaders, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Moreover, before the summit began, Sudan announced at the last minute it would be pulling out after EU leaders protested against the participation of President Omar al-Bashir, who has been charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court. EU President Herman Van Rompuy urged African leaders to support the ICC and “fully subscribe to the principle of the fight against impunity”.
Another contentious African leader and a thorn in most European leaders’ sides, Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe, attended the summit. Zimbabwe has been subject to EU sanctions since 2002.