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Zim 'dividing African leaders'
20/08/2007 20:12 - (SA)
Pretoria - Leaders in southern Africa who just wrapped up a summit in Zambia were divided over how to help Zimbabwe out of its economic crisis, an African analyst close to the discussions said on Monday.
Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders said at the end of the meeting on Friday that the problems of ailing Zimbabwe were "exaggerated".
Siphamandla Zondi, Africa analyst at the Institute for Global Dialogue, told AFP in an interview that while some SADC members favour making political reforms a pre-condition for any assistance to Harare, others thought differently.
This division left the summit unable to adopt a rescue plan for Zimbabwe drafted by Tomaz Augusto Salomao, the Mozambican secretary general of the 14-member bloc, the head of the non-governmental agency said.
"There is common cause in SADC that Zimbabwe must get economic support. Back in 2006, South Africa listed the areas requiring this as mining, agriculture, energy and transport," he said.
"But South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania and Lesotho believe that this help must only be given when Zimbabwe undergoes fundamental changes that will restore some economic stabilisation and make free and fair elections possible next year.
"Some even say the assistance should not come before those elections."
'Sanctions to blame'
Zondi pointed out that the Zimbabwe government claims its economic problems are caused by the United States and European sanctions and is seeking support from Namibia and Mozambique, and also counting on countries like Mauritius and Madagascar which are reluctant to take strong positions.
"The real difficulty is that we should not allow or cause this SADC initiative to fail. That would be suicidal. If SADC washes its hands of helping Zimbabwe, it will end up being dealt with by international actors, like the United Nations, who are far less sympathetic," Zondi said.
"The Zimbabwe government is very aware of this and very scared of it happening. That is what keeps them dealing very carefully with SADC," he concluded.
Zimbabwe is in the throes of an economic crisis with inflation well past the 5 000% mark, four in five people jobless and 80% of the population living below the poverty threshold.
The US has called on the leaders from southern Africa to push harder to end the crisis in Zimbabwe.
The reports on Zimbabwe's political and economic crises were presented to the summit respectively by South African President Thabo Mbeki and Salomao.
- AFP
- SAPA
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Zimbabwe Special Report
