Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Takunda Maodza
31 October 2009
Harare — THE Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security will soon convene an ordinary summit of the Troika where a report of its ministerial delegation to Zimbabwe and Lesotho will be presented.
Addressing the Press in Harare yesterday after a two-day visit to Zimbabwe to review the Global Political Agreement, head of delegation and Mozambique Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Oldemiro Baloi said the parties in the inclusive Government expressed their commitment to continue working together.
He, however, could not give a date and venue for the summit that will bring together Mozambique's President Armando Guebuza, Zambia's President Rupiah Banda and Swaziland's King Mswati III.
Earlier in the day, MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai claimed the delegation had promised to convene a Sadc extraordinary summit on Zimbabwe.
However, this was dispelled as it later emerged that the summit was an ordinary meeting where President Guebuza -- as Organ chair -- would receive a report on the delegation's visits to Zimbabwe and Lesotho.
President Guebuza retains the discretion to invite all regional leaders to the summit.
Head of delegation Dr Baloi said: "We are supposed to prepare a report and send it to chairman of the Organ and to do our best to convene a summit of the Troika as soon as possible." Asked for a date and venue, he said: "We are still consulting. Heads of state have heavy schedules and I cannot tell you where it will take place but trust me, it will be soon, very soon."
Speaking to journalists after the delegation paid him a courtesy call at Zanu-PF Headquarters in the capital, President Mugabe dismissed perceptions that the Troika summit was an MDC-T victory.
President Mugabe said the perception was "MDC-T propaganda and cheap politicking", adding, "Zanu-PF is a serious party".
He said the summit had nothing to do with MDC-T's tour of the region or calls for such a meeting, pointing out it was an ordinary and procedural summit that naturally followed the ministerial delegation's visits to Zimbabwe and Lesotho.
Dr Baloi was heading a delegation comprising Zambian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Professor Fashion Phiri, Swazi Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Lutho Dhlamini and Sadc executive secretary Dr Tomaz Salamao.
Dr Baloi urged dialogue among parties to the GPA saying Sadc was only there to "help Zimbabweans help themselves".
"In our interaction with stakeholders we made it clear that problems have to be solved first and foremost by Zimba-bweans themselves. All of us are there to help them help themselves."
The delegation appealed to Zanu-PF and the MDC formations "to be consistent by reserving inclusiveness of Government in all instances".
Dr Baloi said the three parties should intensify dialogue and speed up the implementation of the GPA.
He said parties to the GPA agreed that the current situation was undesirable.
The delegation said the inclusive Government had changed the face of the country within a short period of time despite the challenges it was facing.
Dr Baloi described President Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai's working relationship as "good and cordial".
He said President Mugabe and PM Tsvangirai met on Monday and would meet again next week.
"Three things remained clear to us: that the inclusive Government has significantly changed the face of Zimbabwe, there are unequivocal successes, there are still problems to be solved and all stakeholders are fully committed to the inclusive Government.
"For Sadc, this was once again something we were pleased to hear," Dr Baloi said.
He said the agreement signed by the parties was "highly demanding" in terms of time and effort and this had contributed to some of the difficulties.
The ministerial delegation did not, however, get a commitment from MDC-T that ministers from that party would attend to Government business.
"We did not get any commitment from him (Mr Tsvangirai)," Dr Baloi said.
During deliberations, MDC-T raised concerns over the appointments of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, the Attorney-General and provincial governors among others.
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