Sanctions and summits: Sanctioned African leaders and EU–Africa summits. Issue 4 (2nd October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: van Wyk, Jo-Ansie
• Is Part Of: South African journal of international affairs. Volume 25:Issue 4(2018)
• Page Start: 497
• Page End: 515
• Publication Date: 2018-10-02
• Subjects: Africa -- European Union -- EU–Africa summits -- restrictive measures -- sanctions -- political leaders -- Robert Mugabe; South Africa -- Foreign relations -- Periodicals; South Africa -- Politics and government -- 1989-1994 -- Periodicals; International relations -- Periodicals; World politics -- 1945-1989 -- Periodicals; 968
• DOI: 10.1080/10220461.2018.1544929
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1022-0461

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This contribution concerns itself with two diplomatic instruments, namely summitry, or summit diplomacy, and sanctions or, in EU terminology, 'restrictive measures', in the context of EU–Africa relations. Successive EU–Africa summits have been criticised for the attendance of African leaders such as Omar al Bashir (Sudan) and Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe). Despite criticism against the EU for inviting and hosting some of Africa's most notorious (ie corrupt or human rights-abusing) leaders, the EU seems to have taken a pragmatic approach to the matter by including, rather than sanctioning and excluding, these leaders from EU–Africa summits. The article attempts to determine why this has occurred, and the consequences and implications thereof. The case of Robert Mugabe, president of Zimbabwe (1981–2017), is presented as an illustrative case demonstrating the role of sanctions as a diplomatic instrument in relation to summitry.