EU-AFRICA SUMMIT,7YEARS AFTER

After several failed attempts to come together as partners,coupled with the EU's "EPA" and scarcely the Mugabe issue,this weekend finally saw the launching of a summit which is seen by many as Europe's fight to regain grounds in Africa,in a bid to overcome the massive investment of China in Africa.This situation so far has strengthened many African countries who no longer want to be the underdogs in world trade and also to cast away the eternal coat of the "colonized colonies".Read some highlights from Portugal.

Trade row mars EU-Africa talks

The hosts dubbed the meeting a "summit of equals"

EU and African leaders have signed a declaration promoting free trade and democracy at a summit in Lisbon beset by rows over trade deals and Zimbabwe.

As the Portuguese hosts hailed a "new chapter" in relations, Senegal's president railed against new EU-African trade deals proposed by the EU.

And Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe reportedly accused Europe of arrogance in criticising his human rights record.

The hosts have lauded the summit as heralding a new relationship of equals.

The 67 leaders gathered at the summit agreed to work together to forge a new partnership on issues including security, development, trade and good governance.

The BBC's Mark Doyle, in Lisbon, says the joint declaration is hugely ambitious in scope, and that clear differences remain on several issues.

Fragile economies

Angry words flew over trade deals - known as Economic Partnership Agreements - proposed to replace existing agreements due to expire at the end of the year.

ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS Aim to replace agreements giving ex-EU colonies preference Non-African developing countries said old deals were unfair WTO said old deals must end on 31 December 2007 Proposed EPAs would continue tariff-free access to EU markets for African goods In exchange, African countries must open markets to EU goods Some countries fear cheap EU exports will flood their markets Africa wary of trade offer Q&A: Trade deal

"We are not talking any more about EPAs, we've rejected them," said President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal.

Although some east African nations have already agreed to the deals, many other countries argue that they will damage their fragile economies.

The deals - to replace historical agreements which gave former European colonies preferential trade terms - demand that African countries open their markets to European goods in order to keep tariff-free EU access for their own exports.

The summit was seen as an EU attempt regain lost ground in Africa and combat growing Chinese influence in the continent.

But President Wade said that "Europe is close to losing the battle of competition in Africa".

Our correspondent says that while China has massively increased its investments in Africa, it does not tend to comment on issues such as democracy and human rights.

'Arrogance'

The point was evidenced by tensions over the presence of Mr Mugabe, widely criticised for human rights abuses and economic mismanagement in Zimbabwe.

Today is very clear that Europe is close to losing the battle of competition in Africa Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade Archbishop's protest EU-Africa: Key issues

Although he is banned from the EU, African leaders demanded he be invited to attend. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown boycotted the meeting in protest.

On Sunday Mr Mugabe was reported to have lambasted four EU countries for "arrogance" in their criticisms, according to a copy of a speech at a closed meeting obtained by French news agency AFP.

His comments came in response to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's earlier assertion that his policies had "damaged Africa".

"It is important that people keep in mind that Africans fought for human rights from oppressive rule," said Mr Mugabe, who is regarded by many African leaders as the heroic liberator of Zimbabwe.

The meeting was the first EU-African summit for seven years. Previous attempts had collapsed over the question of Mr Mugabe's attendance.

Portuguese PM Jose Socrates, who earlier lauded the gathering as a "summit of equals", said it was an achievement in itself that the meeting had taken place.