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(HERALD) ‘Zimbabwe not on Sadc summit agenda’

‘Zimbabwe not on Sadc summit agenda’
Tuesday, 29 May 2012 00:00
Takunda Maodza Senior Reporter

THE extraordinary Summit of Sadc heads of state and government set for Angola this Friday will discuss the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan with leaders brainstorming on ways of enhancing economic co-operation between member-states.
The plan outlines policies, strategies and priorities for achieving deeper regional integration and poverty eradication.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Ambassador Joey Bimha yesterday said regional integration was the only item on the agenda of the summit.

“In the customary Sadc tradition, extraordinary summits are one item agenda and in this particular case regional integration is the agenda for Sadc,” he said.


Some sections of the media have been awash with reports that the summit was convened to discuss Zimbabwe and the political situation in the region.

The reports coincided with the visit of Sadc facilitator, President Jacob Zuma’s backroom facilitation team led by Ms Lindiwe Zulu, which arrived in Harare yesterday.
Ambassador Bimha, however, made it clear that Zimbabwe was not on the summit agenda.

“If there are any other issues brought before the summit, there would be mere reports for noting by Heads of State and not agenda items for discussion. It is under these circumstances that the summit in Angola would be held,” he said.
Sources say Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is making frantic efforts to attend the summit meant for Heads of State and Governments only.

PM Tsvangirai is currently in China on official Government business.

“The PM intends to attend the Sadc summit meant for Heads of State,” a source said.
MDC-T spokesperson Mr Douglas Mwonzora confirmed last night that PM Tsvangirai was heading for Angola for the summit.

“It is true that the PM is going to Angola for the summit, but I do not have the details,” he said referring questions to Mr Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, Mr Luke Tamborinyoka who is also in China.

The country is expected to hold harmonised elections this year as the logical conclusion of the Global Political Agreement. Elections talk has stirred interest from Western detractors keen to prejudge the process.

Labels: JACOB ZUMA, SADC

posted by MrK @ 3:43 PM