Shutting down the independently owned Daily News and arresting trade union leaders sent ”the wrong signal” amid ongoing efforts to bring Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF and opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) to the negotiation table, said British Minister for Africa Chris Mullin.
”For these talks to succeed there has to be a serious commitment to dialogue. In this context the recent closure of The Daily News and the locking up of trade union leaders sends the wrong signal, and these must be reversed,” Mullin said during an address at Cape Town’s Centre for Conflict Resolution this week.
Mullin, who was appointed to his post at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office in June, was on his first official visit to South Africa.
He said the current crisis in Zimbabwe, marked by an inflation rate of 400% and 70% and 80% unemployment, must eventually come to an end. South Africa, he added, remained in the front line.
”It is greatly in South Africa’s interest that this question is resolved and we welcome the efforts that President [Thabo] Mbeki has been making and hope they will bear fruit,” said Mullin.
He said Britain would continue to contribute to international food aid programmes in Zimbabwe and was committed to ”help rebuild the shattered economy of Zimbabwe” once an accountable government representing all citizens was in place.
Meanwhile, Mullin maintained Britain’s involvement in Iraq would not negatively impact on its development aid commitments of £1-billion a year by 2006.
However, 90% of this financial commitment would be aimed at the poorest developing countries, with spending cuts anticipated for other countries. No final decision on allocations had yet been made and Britain would maintain ”a substantial programme” in South Africa, Mullin said.