Statement by Ambassador Kumalo on Zimbabwe Vote

Mr. President,

Earlier this morning a joint media statement by the SADC facilitator, the representative of ZANU-PF and the MDC Formations was issued in Pretoria.  The statement reads:

“The talks between the Zimbabwean political parties consisting of ZANU-PF, MDC-Tsvangirai and MDC-Mutambara, chaired by the Government of South Africa as mandated by SADC, resumed in South Africa yesterday.  The talks are aimed at finding solutions to the challenges in Zimbabwe.”

As we meet this afternoon, the talks are continuing in South Africa as the Zimbabwe parties continue to seek a political solution to the challenges they face complicated by the holding of an election which was preceded by violence and political intimidation which resulted with a process that was unfair and declared to be not transparent by the observers from SADC, the African Union and Pan African Parliament.

South Africa was appointed as facilitator at the SADC Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation held in Dar-Es-Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania on 28-29 March 2007.  At the time, the Extraordinary Summit appealed for the lifting of all forms of sanctions against Zimbabwe.

The African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government meeting in its 11th Ordinary Session held from 30 June to 1 July 2008 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt expressed deep concern about the prevailing situation in Zimbabwe.  However, when considering this matter, the AU Summit did not call for sanctions against Zimbabwe.  Instead, the AU Summit “appealed to States and all parties concerned to refrain from any action that may negatively impact on the climate for dialogue”.

The Summit also decided “to encourage President Robert Mugabe and the leader of the MDC party, Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai to honour their commitments to initiate dialogue with a view to promoting peace, stability, democracy and reconciliation of the Zimbabwe people”.

It also “expressed its appreciation to SADC, and its Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation as well as the Facilitator of the Intra-Zimbabwe dialogue, H.E. Thabo Mbeki, President of the Republic of South Africa and H.E. Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African Union Commission for the ongoing work aimed at reconciling the political parties”.

Accordingly, South Africa as a member of both SADC and the African Union is obliged to follow the decision of those regional bodies.  For this reason, my delegation will vote against this resolution.

Nonetheless, we are encouraged by the commitment to dialogue by the Zimbabwe parties.  This would lead to the improvement of the humanitarian and economic situation thereby contributing to a better live for all Zimbabweans.  The Security Council must give space for the AU Summit decision to be implemented.