Zuma Joins Mugabe, Bashir In Shunning EU-Africa Summit

President Jacob Zuma of South Africa has joined leaders like Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe in boycotting the EU-Africa summit, but has sent minister from Pretoria to attend the event. The EU-Africa summit is a gathering of 90 countries from two continents attended by 65 heads of states and government.

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe boycotted the summit after his wife was denied a visa to enter Europe. He further urged the African Union to shun the summit for failing to invite all the Africa bloc’s leaders and lift a ban on Zimbabwe’s first lady.

Sudan was invited, but it’s President, Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for human rights atrocities shunned the event. Eritrea has also been barred from attending the summit because of its human rights record, SABC reported.

However, Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta, who is battling a crimes against humanity case at the ICC, is scheduled to attend the meeting.