Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi did not join on UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s boycott yesterday at the EU-Africa summit because of the presence of Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe.

Dr Gonzi took part in the summit and was seated three places away from Libya’s Mu’Ammar Gaddafi.

Although banned from the EU, Mr Mugabe attended the summit after African leaders threatened to stay away if he was not invited.

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is critical of Mr Mugabe’s human rights record, boycotted the summit in protest.

Very few EU leaders followed Mr Brown’s example and stayed away from the meeting. However, this did not stop them from being critical. German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the summit that the situation in Zimbabwe was “damaging the image” of Africa.

In a keynote speech on human rights, Ms Merkel said the whole European Union “has the same view” of what is happening in Zimbabwe, where Mr Mugabe is accused of economic mismanagement, failure to curb corruption and contempt for democracy.

There is an emerging realisation in Europe that its relationship with Africa is changing.

Poverty and issues on development aid are still dominant, but at the same time many countries in Africa are now democracies with growing economies and growing self-confidence.

African trade with China is forcing Europe to take Africa more seriously and not just as a collection of former colonial possessions.

Dr Gonzi was expected back in Malta last night.