The European Union (EU)-Africa Summit set for April 2-3 in Brussels has refused to issue Mugabe’s wife Grace a visa to attend.
Mugabe and his wife Grace have already been affected by travel bans, however they can be lifted temporarily to attend international forums. Due to allegations of human rights violations and election rigging Mugabe has been subject to sanctions.
According to BBC, on Friday in Harare he urged other African Union members to shun the summit. However, the “diplomats in Brussels are unfazed by the boycott call.”
No presidential spouses have been invited to the summit, because there is no program in place for wives.
“Aldo Dell’Ariccia, the EU’s envoy to Harare, told a local radio station on Friday the bloc had not given a visa to Mrs Mugabe because there was no programme for wives of presidents and there was no need for her to attend,” reported by BBC.
Mr. Mugabe’s spokesman George Charamba said the president would not be there if the EU “continues to hold out” on the issue of Mrs. Mugabe’s visa.
Mugabe finds the EU’s stance disrespectful and unhappy that Sudan was not invited to the summit, however Egypt was invited although suspended from the African Union (AU).
The summit stands to bring 90 countries from Europe and Africa together with 65 heads of state and government under the theme “Investing in People, Prosperity and Peace.”
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