Belgium - African diplomats in Brussels Tuesday lamented the de parture of Louis Michel from his position as European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, a position now taken over by Karel de Gucht, a former Belgian Minister Foreign Affairs who has been described as "an awkward teacher of lessons" to Africa.
Well before occupying his new position at the European Commission, de Gucht declared he hoped to get a more important position in the future European Executive, meaning that the post he now occupies was not important.
The declaration was seen as "an obvious disrespect for Africa".
De Gucht will hold on to that office until a new European Commission is put in place at the end of the year.
Michel, meanwhile, has been elected to the European Parliament.
The African diplomats specially recalled the diplomatic incidents that de Gucht created between Brussels and Kinshasa by describing Congolese politicians as incompetent, accusing them of being corrupt and of embezzling public funds in a speech he delivered in April 2008 in Kinshasa.
Considering these insulting words, the DR of Congo decided to suspend for nine months, its diplomatic relations with Belgium.
African diplomats in Brussels say they expect de Gucht to avoid such undiplomatic and disdainful words as the new European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, because he would always be in consultation with African leaders.
Brussels - 14/07/2009
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment