GERMANY: International conference led by EU president Germany discusses African issues like Darfur, corruption and migration

Record ID: 455994

  • Title: GERMANY: International conference led by EU president Germany discusses African issues like Darfur, corruption and migration
  • Date: 27th June 2007
  • Summary: GERMAN DEVELOPMENT MINISTER HEIDEMARIE WIECZOREK-ZEUL TALKING TO PROTESTERS, ASKING THEM TO NOMINATE CONTACT PEOPLE FOR DISCUSSIONS (SOUNDBITE) (German) AHMED SIRAGE, ETHIOPIAN IN EXILE SAYING: "We are demonstrating against the Ethiopian government which was not elected by the people but is still in power. The parliamentarians elected by the people have been imprisoned for a year and a half."
  • Embargoed: 12th July 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA5WM16NNPLR597WFGBQ4BR04V3
  • Story Text: An international conference opens in Germany to discuss African issues ranging from the "suppression of democracy in Zimbabwe," the situation in Darfur and the fight against corruption in the exploitation of mineral resources.
    Parliamentarians and ambassadors from 106 countries opened the three-day convention on Monday (June 25) organised by the European Union parliament and the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific organisation (ACP), headed by outgoing EU president Germany.
    Outside the conference venue, some 50 protesters demonstrated against what they called the "human rights violations in Ethiopia."
    Ahemd Sirage, an Ethiopian in exile, said "we are demonstrating against the Ethiopian government which was not elected by the people but is still in power."
    "The parliamentarians elected by the people have been imprisoned for a year and a half," Sirage said.
    German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, who attended the conference, was heard telling the protesters to elect a representative to voice the group's concerns.
    The host country's president, Horst Koehler, later told conference participants that "the fight against corruption and rule of law is all the more important as many ACP countries (Africa-Caribbean-Pacific) are rich in natural resources."
    "This is especially true for the countries in Africa. The revenues from the export of mineral and natural resources offer huge possibilities for these countries to overcome their poverty," Koehler said who is a former executive director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and an expert in Africa-related issues.
    The ACP is an international organisation with 79 members in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific region and according to organisers, the European Union (EU) has been cooperating with these former colonies of EU countries for almost 50 years.
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