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(TALKZIMBABWE) Inclusive govt will survive: Mbeki

Inclusive govt will survive: Mbeki
By: Floyd Nkomo
Posted: Saturday, June 19, 2010 7:20 am

FORMER South African president, Thabo Mbeki, says the power-sharing agreement signed by President Robert Mugabe and former opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara will last its course.

Speaking on public radio NPR, Mr Mbeki said in response to a question on Zimbabwe, " I am quite confident that that government will survive, that they will work together."

He added that no outside power can force Zimbabweans to come up with solutions to challenges in the country and Zimbabweans themselves can determine their own destiny.

"The solutions to the problems of Zimbabwe must come from Zimbabweans. We can't impose solutions from outside without creating new problems," said Mr Mbeki who made history by facilitating dialogue between former rivals President Mugabe and Tsvangirai.

Mr Mbeki spent a significant period of his presidential tenure as a Sadc-appointed facilitator in Zimbabwe and, in large measure, was directly involved in the design and implementation of Zimbabwe's power-sharing agreement, dubbed the Global Political Agreement.

His successful role as facilitator was heralded by critics as a triumph of African diplomacy as it was devoid of western or non-African influence.

On Sudan and the World Cup

President Mbeki also expressed optimism in the signing of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan in 2005. He said the January 20, 2011 referendum to be held in that country will determine its future.

He also expressed his reservations for calling African countries "failed states" without considering the challenges they face in the post-colonial era.

"But when the matter is raised, which is leadership in Southern Sudan of the possibility of them being a failed state, we actually take great exception to this because they say that indeed when many countries on the African continent gained their independence, the people who led them had no experience of government."

Mr Mbeki said South Africa was glad to host the 2010 World Cup soccer tournament adding that it was a proud moment for all of Africa.

"We took a decision that it would be important to have the World Cup hosted not only by South Africa, but by Africa ... to make a statement about Africa — [about] Africans on the continent and Africans in the diaspora ... Africans everywhere.

"We're very much part of this common humanity. How many Europeans have hosted the World Cup? Latin America, Asia has hosted the World Cup. Why not the African continent?"

Labels: FOOTBALL, NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, THABO MBEKI

posted by MrK @ 5:58 PM