South Africa on Friday welcomed the Zimbabwean opposition’s decision to join a unity government, saying it paved the way for challenges to be tackled and for free and fair elections.
”The formation of the inclusive government in Zimbabwe will help lay the foundation for the people of Zimbabwe to begin to address current challenges facing their country,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
A unity government will also allow Zimbabwe to prepare ”the ground for the creation of conditions for the holding of free and fair elections in the future”.
The statement followed a decision earlier on Friday by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change to agree to join a unity government next month.
Former South African president Thabo Mbeki brokered the power-sharing deal signed by Zanu-PF leader Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai in September, which stalled almost as soon as it was signed and led to months of mediation.
Mbeki meanwhile ”described this development as a major step forward,” his spokesperson said in a statement.
”The facilitator looks forward to the implementation of all SADC decisions and has been assured of the parties’ commitment in this regard,” the statement added.
South Africa currently chairs the 15-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) which on Tuesday gave the feuding parties until mid-February to set up a new government.
”We are unequivocal, we will go into this government,” said Tsvangirai almost one year after disputed polls that plunged the country into crisis.
”The SADC has decided and we are bound by that decision,” he said.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon hailed the decision, while also pressing for crucial development in Zimbabwe.
Ban urged the new government ”to take all necessary measures to address the humanitarian and economic crises in the country and respect democratic freedoms”, his office said in a statement.
The Zimbabwean government welcomed the decision, saying the opposition was moving away from outside influence.
”We welcome it, we expected them to do that,” said Information Minister Paul Mangwana..
”We are happy that for the first time they have now recognised themselves as Zimbabweans and we are happy that they are shifting from external influence and have started to reason like Zimbabweans,” Mangwana said.
Mugabe has long accused the MDC of being a tool of Britain and the United States, whose governments are opposed to his regime.
Both countries offered up restrained hope in response to the announcement on Friday.
”I’ve seen the reports about this agreement, but as you can understand, we are a bit skeptical. These types of things have been announced before,” US State Department acting spokesperson Robert Wood
said.
”The key is always implementation,” he added.
An equally tempered reaction emerged from London, where British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he looked forward to seeing details of a deal that would hold Zimbabwean lawmakers accountable.
”The new government will be judged on its actions, above all by the people of Zimbabwe,” he said.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner welcomed the MDC decision and called for the release of imprisoned opposition militants and human rights supporters.
Zimbabwe has been in meltdown since Tsvangirai pushed Mugabe into second place in first-round elections, before pulling out of the run-off citing violence against his supporters.
Mugabe in June declared a one-sided victory to govern a country where more than half the population is in need of food aid and inflation was last officially announced at 231-million percent.
The country has been further crippled by a cholera outbreak that has claimed more than 3Â 000 lives. – AFP
