Nepad should not be judged by Zimbabwe, SA

Regional powerhouse South Africa, which will chair the new African Union (AU), believes perceptions of a lack of firm action over Zimbabwe should not jeopardise Nepad (New Partnership for Africa's Development). In March President Robert Mugabe was re-elected in a poll that most observers, including the European Union (EU) and the Commonwealth, said was fundamentally flawed. The Zimbabwean poll was marred by political violence and allegations of rigging. South African President Thabo Mbeki, one of Nepad's architects, is also its most visible champion. South Africa is to assume the chairmanship of the AU, successor to the Organisation of African Unity, at a conference that begins in Durban on 28 June. However, a recent EU Parliamentary resolution called into doubt support for Nepad at the upcoming G8 summit and seemingly questioned Mbeki's commitment to democracy and good governance. Points 10 and 11 of the resolution said the EU: "Calls on President Mbeki to show wholehearted and consistent support for the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, and accordingly to demonstrate the quality of leadership that befits the powerful and crucial regional position of South Africa; "Calls on African leaders, particularly in the SADC [Southern African Development Community] region, not to resume normal diplomatic relations with the Mugabe regime and thereby jeopardise the 'New Programme for African Development' (NEPAD) and the prospects for the launch of an 'African renaissance' by the G8 summit in Canada this July." Replying to questions from IRIN, the South African government has now said: "President Mbeki has not compromised his support for the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law as far as Zimbabwe is concerned. He has on numerous occasions expressed his concerns about these issues in Zimbabwe, both publicly and through the diplomatic channels. South Africa has been constantly engaged in trying to assist Zimbabwe to adhere to these principles, and still continues to do so. "It should be noted that President Mbeki, as one of the members of the Commonwealth Chairpersons' Committee, was involved in the decision to suspend Zimbabwe from the Councils of the Commonwealth for a period of one year. This action bears further testimony to the fact that President Mbeki is consistent in adherence to democratic values." South Africa was part of the SADC Ministerial Committee on Developments in Zimbabwe, which "consistently raises issues regarding democratic principles with the Zimbabwean government, with a view to resolving them". Mbeki and Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo both sent envoys to mediate talks between Mugabe's Zanu-PF and his opponent, Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change. The talks were abandoned but a South African newspaper, Business Day, reported on Friday that the talks could resume. The two parties had agreed to name five-member task teams to participate in new negotiations, the newspaper reported. South Africa believed that "quiet diplomacy and political persuasion is still the preferred option". "South Africa does not support the view that the isolation of Zimbabwe by its regional and continental neighbours will be helpful in resolving that country's problems. Even the Commonwealth, which suspended Zimbabwe for a year, in its Marlborough Statement urged countries to actively assist Zimbabwe to stabilise the situation there, and came out in full support of the SA-Nigeria presidential envoy initiative," said a statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs. As to whether Zimbabwe would jeopardise Nepad, the government said: "South Africa does not subscribe to the argument that the perceived lack of firmness with regard to Zimbabwe should jeopardise Nepad or the 'launch of the African Renaissance' at the G8 in Canada in July. "At this time it is premature, if not unfair, to judge the success or failure of Nepad on the manner in which the Zimbabwe situation is being handled." Zimbabwe's worsening political and economic situation has been exacerbated by widespread food shortages. The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agricultural Organisation have pinpointed drought and the government's controversial land reform programme as the main culprit. Some six million people are said to be in need of food aid. South Africa donated R500,000 (US $51,186) to the WFP in March to be used to procure food aid for distribution in Zimbabwe. "South Africa is facilitating and fast tracking the transport of food aid to Zimbabwe through its territory and border posts," the government said.