SA pins Zim hopes on UN

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa is running out of ideas on how to pull Zimbabwe out of crisis, turning to the United Nations to take the lead after a series of failures in tackling its biggest foreign policy headache.

President Thabo Mbeki is now pinning his hopes on outgoing UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to resolve the Zimbabwean imbroglio, although Harare has rejected UN intervention. “This reflects the growing frustration of President Mbeki in trying to address the crisis in Zimbabwe,” said analyst Chris Maroleng of the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies.”It is a very opportune time for President Mbeki to try to hand over the reins to somebody else, given that there has been little progress with South African-led initiatives.”Mbeki seized upon his visit last week to London to disclose in a Financial Times interview that Annan would be visiting Harare in July or August to inject new impetus into efforts to help Zimbabwe.”We all await the outcome of the intervention of the secretary general of the UN with regard to Zimbabwe,” Mbeki said.But President Robert Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba flatly declared that “Zimbabwe is not a UN issue” and that an invitation to Annan to visit following last year’s slum demolitions campaign was no longer valid.A similar attempt last year by the African Union to enlist former Mozambican leader Joaquim Chissano as an outside mediator was also rejected out-of-hand by Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain 26 years ago.South African attempts to mediate talks between Mugabe and the opposition have broken down, partly due to squabbling within the Movement for Democratic Change party which split into two factions earlier this year.Mbeki’s government late last year offered a US$500m loan to Zimbabwe on condition that Mugabe take steps to ensure economic recovery and political stability.Harare refused to take the money and Mugabe instead announced plans to take a majority ownership stake in mines, including platinum ones partly owned by South African giant Implats, the world’s second-largest producer.Overall, South Africa has watched helplessly as Zimbabwe has descended into political and economic disarray.- Nampa-Sapa”This reflects the growing frustration of President Mbeki in trying to address the crisis in Zimbabwe,” said analyst Chris Maroleng of the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies.”It is a very opportune time for President Mbeki to try to hand over the reins to somebody else, given that there has been little progress with South African-led initiatives.”Mbeki seized upon his visit last week to London to disclose in a Financial Times interview that Annan would be visiting Harare in July or August to inject new impetus into efforts to help Zimbabwe.”We all await the outcome of the intervention of the secretary general of the UN with regard to Zimbabwe,” Mbeki said.But President Robert Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba flatly declared that “Zimbabwe is not a UN issue” and that an invitation to Annan to visit following last year’s slum demolitions campaign was no longer valid.A similar attempt last year by the African Union to enlist former Mozambican leader Joaquim Chissano as an outside mediator was also rejected out-of-hand by Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain 26 years ago.South African attempts to mediate talks between Mugabe and the opposition have broken down, partly due to squabbling within the Movement for Democratic Change party which split into two factions earlier this year.Mbeki’s government late last year offered a US$500m loan to Zimbabwe on condition that Mugabe take steps to ensure economic recovery and political stability.Harare refused to take the money and Mugabe instead announced plans to take a majority ownership stake in mines, including platinum ones partly owned by South African giant Implats, the world’s second-largest producer.Overall, South Africa has watched helplessly as Zimbabwe has descended into political and economic disarray. – Nampa-Sapa