EU-Africa summit-Merkel launches blistering attack on Mugabe

Today German Chancellor Angela Merkel launched a blistering attack on Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe at an EU-Africa summit being held in Lisbon. She told representatives from 80 EU and African states that "the current situation in Zimbabwe damages the image of the new Africa". She said that "the situation in Zimbabwe concerns us all, in Europe as in Africa. We don't have the right to look away when human rights are trampled on."
Mugabe sat impassively through her keynote speech. He is banned from the EU but has received a special visa from the Portuguese government to attend the summit. This followed pressure from African nations. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown boycotted the summit because of Mugabe's presence.

The decision to give Mugabe a special visa -to attend - was the correct one. He can gauge the strength of European public opinion which is nauseated by the barbarism of his regime. He has crippled the Zimbabwean economy. The eviction of the mostly white farmers has been largely responsible for Zimbabwe's worst famine in living memory. Zimbabwe was once the "bread basket" of Southern Africa. It is estimated that about two thirds of the 11.6 million people face severe food shortages. Hyper inflation has rendered Zimbabwean dollar practically worthless. Inflation runs at c15,000%. Many political opponents have been tortured and imprisoned.

Undoubtedly Mugabe will return to Zimbabwe and attempt to turn criticism at the summit to his advantage. He will argue that former colonial powers are anti African and hanker after their colonial past. He is impervious to criticism. In addition the opposition Movement for Democratic Change is riven by dissensions. All in all he is unlikely to be too worried by European criticism.

Ireland-Bertie strikes gold

The Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector has recommended that the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern should receive a pay rise of €38k. This will bring his annual salary to €310,000. This makes him one of the best paid leaders in world politics.

It is interesting to compare the salaries of some world leaders:

• Angela Merkel (German Chancellor) €311,778
• Bertie Ahern (Ireland) €310,000
• George W Bush (USA) €284,000
• Gordon Brown (UK) €268,000
• John Howard (Australia) €206,000

The Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector has further recommended that around 1600 senior staff including Ministers and Junior Ministers, the judiciary, top gardaí and heads of Government departments and state agencies should receive average increases of 7.3% The total cost of the increases will be around €16m a year.

Minister for Finance Brian Cowen has begun to slash public expenditure which is rising at a rate of 13%. Reductions in front line services at hospitals is further fueling hostility to the Government. There are indications that benchmarking will disappoint many public servants. The inflation rate of 4% remains stubbornly high. Unemployment has begun to rise. This Government has entered choppy waters. These rises will inflame public opinion.

The Taoiseach's salary of €310,000 should certainly add an edge to the leadership ambitions of several Cabinet Ministers.