By Scott Bobb

Leaders of Africa and the European Union have ended their summit in Portugal by declaring a new era in relations aimed at confronting new global challenges. But they could not avoid sparring over some older issues involving human rights and conflict on the continent.
The president of the European Union, Portugal's Prime Minister Jose Socrates, Sunday closed the summit, saying African and European leaders have turned a new page in history.

He says the leaders have adopted an agenda to confront serious challenges of security, governance, migration and climate change.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Sunday urged the African countries to sign the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union (EU).

In a declaration during the second EU-Africa summit being held here from Saturday, Barroso said it is indispensable to safeguard trade flows and preferences between the EU and African countries since the current trade regime of the Cotonou Agreement expires on Jan. 1, 2008.

"Our objective has always been and remains to conclude economic partnership agreements which aim at strengthening regional integration and bring genuine development to African countries," he said.