Can Mugabe come to Europe?

last updated 8 January 2015

Paris

France has invited Zimbabwe’s dictatorial President Robert Mugabe to a Franco-African summit in Paris next month, angering other European countries. The E.U. banned Mugabe from its borders last year when he unleashed violent gangs to intimidate voters in an election widely declared fraudulent. The travel ban and other sanctions against Zimbabwe will expire in mid-February, the day before the summit. Most E.U. countries are seeking to renew them, but France wants an exception to be made for its event. Zimbabwe’s struggling opposition said it found the invitation demoralizing. “It amounts to a recognition and support of Mugabe’s gruesome record at home,” said Morgan Tsvangirai, who ran against Mugabe in the disputed election. “Zimbabweans crave to live in a democratic country.”