as South Africa on her first trip to sub-Saharan Africa as Chancellor.
“Zimbabwe will be an important subject. Developments there are still massively problematic,” a senior German government official told reporters before the visit, starting on Thursday.
Critics accuse President Robert Mugabe of human rights abuses and of presiding over the collapse of Zimbabwe’s economy, which has the world’s highest inflation rate of about 6 000% and unemployment levels of about 80%.
“The chancellor will talk about this with Mbeki and urge him to exercise his influence on Zimbabwe to change the developments of the last few years,” the official said.
Some Western states have been frustrated by Mbeki’s “quiet diplomacy” towards his neighbour which they see as too soft.
Germany will be at Lisbon summit
The official said Merkel had no intention of following British Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s example and threatening to stay away from an EU-African summit in Lisbon in December if Mugabe attends.
“The chancellor will take part in the summit,” said the official. “EU-Africa relations should not be held hostage to developments in Zimbabwe. It is in our interests to go through with the summit.”
Last month, Brown said it would be inappropriate for him to go, as Mugabe would distract from the main agenda and urged other countries to raise pressure on Zimbabwe. However, many African leaders want Mugabe there to help tackle the continent’s problems.
Mugabe, 83, is subject to an EU travel ban but it could be lifted to allow him to attend the summit.
In power since independence from Britain in 1980, Mugabe says the West has sabotaged the economy as punishment for his seizure of white-owned farms and their transfer to landless blacks.
Merkel put tackling poverty in Africa on the agenda of the Group of Eight industrialised countries during her presidency of the grouping this year.
Merkel to meet Mbeki, Mandela
Merkel will meet Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and African Union Commission Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare on Thursday, and Mbeki and former president Nelson Mandela in South Africa on Friday and Saturday.
To round off her five-day trip, Merkel will be in Liberia on Sunday to meet President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and discuss the prospects of post-conflict countries, and good governance.
BBC 3 OCTOBER 2007
Merkel will attend Africa summit
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is to attend a summit of European Union and African leaders, even if Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is there.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said last month he would not attend the summit if Mr Mugabe attended.
Mrs Merkel is starting her first African tour since becoming chancellor, heading first for Ethiopia.
A German official said relations with Africa “should not be hostage to developments in Zimbabwe”.
“The chancellor will take part in the summit,” the official said, quoted by Reuters.
“It is in our interests to go through with the summit.”
The EU-Africa summit is to take place in Lisbon in December.
The official said however that developments in Zimbabwe are “massively problematic”, and would be raised by Mrs Merkel when she visits South African President Thabo Mbeki.
Influence
“The chancellor will talk about this with Mbeki and urge him to exercise his influence on Zimbabwe to change the developments of the last few years,” the official said.
South Africa, Zimbabwe’s influential neighbour, has consistently rejected suggestions of punitive measures against Mr Mugabe’s government.
Mr Mbeki has, however, recently hosted talks in South Africa between Zimbabwe government and opposition officials.
Western criticism of Zimbabwe has focussed on political repression and the economy, with official inflation in Zimbabwe currently running at over 7,000%.
In Ethiopia, Mrs Merkel will meet Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and African Union Commission Chairman Alpha Oumar Konare.
After visiting South Africa, Mrs Merkel will end her African tour in Liberia, where she will meet President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and discuss the country’s prospects of post-conflict recovery.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/africa/7025591.stm
Published: 2007/10/03 10:28:54 GMT