by Kizito Sikuka – SANF 08 No 50
The southern African brokered talks between Zimbabwe’s main political parties are progressing well and heading for a successful conclusion, according to the facilitator.
The South African President Thabo Mbeki, who is mediating in the talks, endorsed by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union, has praised the negotiators from the ruling ZANU-PF and the two MDC factions saying that they are working within the framework of the Memorandum of Understating (MoU) which was signed a week ago by their three principals.
Part of the agreement, which is expected to be concluded within two weeks of the signing date, includes an undertaking to respect a media blackout during the course of the talks.
Mbeki, who has since met President Robert Mugabe of Zanu-PF, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara of the two MDC formations to brief them of the progress of the discussions said he was optimistic of a negotiated outcome.
He said the inter-party talks, which had been adjourned on Tuesday to allow the negotiators time to brief their principals, would resume on Sunday.
The talks are being held at a secret location in Pretoria, South Africa, and while some items were concluded in previous talks, the agenda still includes some difficult issues on which the public positions of the parties have been very far apart.
“The talks are progressing well and the negotiators are trying hard to keep to the timeframe of the MoU,” President Mbeki said during his recent visit to Harare to brief Mugabe and Mutambara on the talks.
Mbeki had earlier met Tsvangirai in South Africa to brief him on the inter-party discussions.
“Negotiators have indicated to me that they want to resume negotiations on Sunday after breaking on Tuesday to report back to their principals,” added Mbeki.
The report-back is part of the MoU agreement signed by the three political parties.
President Mbeki said the three leaders, Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara would soon be required to meet and map the way forward.
Their meeting is expected to add flesh to what the negotiators would have already agreed on to sure the process is successful and implemented as soon as possible.
Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara have all pledged total commitment to the process saying it was the only way Zimbabwe could address its socio-economic challenges.
Since a political impasse that stretches back to the year 2000 the country has faced a number of challenges affecting national development, including Anglo-American sanctions.
Inflation has reached a record 2.2 million percent while lines of credit to the country have been frozen and investment curtailed.
President Mugabe has reaffirmed Zanu-PF commitment to a speedy conclusion of the talks. He said Zimbabwe would come out of the talks a more united country.
Tsvangirai has also said his commitment to the talks is unquestionable and that time is up for Zimbabweans to bury their differences and work together for the good of the country.
Mutambara concurred saying the talks are an important step, which everyone should work for to ensure Zimbabwe moves forward and once again becomes an influential player in the regional economy.
The talks are part of the SADC mediation efforts to help the country address its political and economic challenges.
SADC leaders tasked Mbeki to lead the process in 2007, and the African Union (AU) Summit recently endorsed Mbeki as the chief mediator and pledged to support him in his role.
Mbeki tasked a reference group involving the United Nations, AU, and SADC to promote the dialogue between Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations, and he will report periodically to the group on the progress of the talks.
The reference group is represented by Haile Menkerios of the UN and Jean Ping of the AU.
