Zimbabwe’s invitation to United Nations chief Kofi Annan to visit the country still stands, but may no longer be relevant, a senior government official was quoted as saying on Thursday.
There has been some confusion over whether Annan is still expected in the Southern African country.
”The invitation still stands,” Deputy Foreign Minister Obert Matshalaga was cited in the state-controlled Herald newspaper as having told Parliament on Wednesday.
Annan was invited to Zimbabwe last year to see for himself the effects of a controversial slum-clearance campaign.
Special UN envoy Anna Tibaijuka was fiercely critical of the campaign, but President Robert Mugabe’s government disagreed with her assessment.
Last week, Mugabe’s spokesperson said Annan was no longer expected in Zimbabwe and the invitation was ”stale”.
Matshalaga said reports that Zimbabwe had withdrawn its invitation to Annan had been ”misread.”
”The report simply said if the UN boss is coming, it might not be the right time, but the invitation still stands,” he said. — Sapa-dpa