Jose Socrates, Portugal’s prime minister, on Monday launched his country’s presidency of the European Union and immediately flew to Africa, in a clear sign that he wants to boost political and economic ties between the two continents.
High on his agenda will be development, cooperation in tackling illegal migration and European economic interests in Africa, which are increasingly facing tough competition from China.
Mr Socrates intends to hold the first EU-Africa summit in seven years in Lisbon in December, but on Monday came under fire for refusing to exclude Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwe president from the guest list.
Glenys Kinnock, a British Labour member of the European parliament, said the meeting could offer Mr Mugabe a chance to “gloat and strut” while his people suffered at home”.
But Mr Socrates, speaking at the official launch of Portugal’s six-month presidency of the EU, said that while Europe would continue to take a tough bilateral line with Mr Mugabe’s regime, it had to develop better ties with the African Union as a whole.
“Appropriate diplomatic formulae will be found,” he said, after talks with the European Commission in the northern city of Porto. He said it was an “error for Europe” not to hold a formal dialogue with Africa.
On Monday Mr Socrates flew to Accra, the capital of Ghana, for talks with African Union leaders. He was accompanied by José Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president, who made his name as a Portuguese minister negotiating a peace agreement in the Angolan civil war.
Growing Chinese involvement in Africa, combined with the increasing competition for its natural resources, has spurred the EU to reconsider its approach.
Last week it unveiled a new “partnership of equals” with the continent, a recognition that it can shop around for aid and trading partners.
“Europe has a different perspective on Africa than a decade ago,” the paper says, an implicit recognition that its lecturing on human rights and corruption will have to be toned down.
“There is a much greater choice for African countries and organisations, but also for the private sector and civil society, to engage with international partners.”
In spite of the focus on Africa, Mr Socrates could have problems closer to home, particularly in dealing with Nicolas Sarkozy, French president.
Mr Socrates urged Mr Sarkozy to honour French commitments to run a balanced budget by 2010, part of a general eurozone drive to restore order to public finances.
“It is very important for the single currency and the system for people to stick to their budgetary commitments,” he said.
Mr Socrates will also try to head off Mr Sarkozy’s initiative to have a debate on the future borders of Europe, part of a French campaign to permanently exclude Turkey from the EU.
Mr Barroso meanwhile repeated calls for Poland not to reopen the painful compromise on a new EU reform treaty, the legal details of which are supposed to be wrapped in time for a summit in Lisbon in October.