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Mugabe denounces IMF
01/03/2007 10:35 - (SA)
Windhoek - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe denounced the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday evening, calling dependence on the crisis lender and other donors tantamount to economic slavery, reducing African countries to beggars.
"We don't have to go to IMF for that, even to any European donor, for what we can do between and amongst ourselves," Mugabe told a business meeting organised in Windhoek by the Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
"And when we start doing it on our own, you'll see them coming, saying 'Ah, you have a factory here. We want to assist you.' Then, if we want a partner, the partner must come on our terms, because then we will have the capacity to do things on our own."
Citing non-payments of arrears, the IMF has just frozen support for Zimbabwe, which has now reached the world's highest inflation rate at 1 600% annually.
Human rights activists held a small demonstration outside the Zimbabwean embassy on Wednesday morning in Windhoek to protest Mugabe's rule.
The 83-year-old Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since 1980, arrived on Tuesday in Namibia for a state visit and showed little remorse over the political course the country has taken.
'Greater co-operation'
On Wednesday night, Mugabe called for greater co-operation between Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, a thinly veiled criticism of South Africa and its continuing economic dominance through the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).
Mugabe further called for greater regional co-operation in trade and sharing of expertise that would allow the region to "add value" instead of simply selling primary commodities including beef, leather, fruit and minerals.
During the official gala dinner he hailed his land and resettlement policy as "completed successfully," adding that Britain and the United States had wanted to punish Zimbabwe for "daring to take our destiny into our own hands."
The support Mugabe voiced for Namibia "as you tackle the mammoth task of land reform in your own way" brought no response by Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba.
Pohamba, who was democratically elected in 2004, called for greater "efforts to strengthen democratic governance and the rule of law for a more peaceful continent."
While having been given the red-carpet treatment on his arrival, Mugabe is not seen to be as close an ally of Pohamba as he was of former Namibian president and liberation struggle comrade Sam Nujoma.
Political observers hope that during official talks, Pohamba will try to influence Mugabe to step down come elections next year, in the kind of quiet diplomacy for which leaders like South African President Thabo Mbeki have been criticised.
Sapa-dpa
- SAPA
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