Demonstrators against EU trade deals paraded an effigy of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern as they chained a map of Africa to the German embassy in Dublin today.
The campaigners wore masks depicting Mr Ahern, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson and French President Jacques Chirac.
The five are key figures in new EU proposals that the protesters say will "undermine" the efforts of developing countries who are struggling for industrial independence.
The EU introduced an Economic Partnership Agreement to developing nations in Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific (ACP) last November. The agreement will require the removal of all tariffs and quotas from ACP trade. Aid amounting to €2 billion also forms part of the agreement.
ACP countries have until December this year to agree to the proposals.
Temwa Gondwe from the Malawi Economic Justice Network said that although aid will help in the short term, it's long term help that is required.
"The help is undermining our efforts to become an industrialised country that can look after their own people. . . . We want [Ms Merkel] to influence negotiations and take our concerns straight to commission." Germany currently holds the presidency of the EU.
Mr Gondwe said: "The EU managed to get a lot out of Africa. They're trying to lock it all up in a warehouse. We appreciate everything, but we know that no amount of aid can benefit us more than fair trade can."
Trócaire policy officer Michael O'Brien said that the talks deadline is unreasonable: "They [developing nations] cannot agree to the aid because there hasn't been enough time to assess the impact this will have on future trade."
He added that the conditions the EU is trying to impose is a contradiction - giving aid through Irish Aid, on one hand and taking the import tariff on the other.
The Dublin demonstration was part of a day of action involving people in over 40 countries, all demonstrating at German embassies.