20 August 2007
Regional heads of state have mandated their countries' finance ministers to work together with the Zimbabwean government to draft an economic recovery plan for that country, following the 27th Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Zambia last week.
South African President Thabo Mbeki and SADC secretariat executive secretary presented reports on the political and economic situation in the country respectively at the summit in Lusaka.
Solomao has spent the past nine months compiling the report, which also included a proposed turnaround plan for the Zimbabwean economy.
Mbeki told the summit that negotiations between the Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF and both factions of the opposition Movement of Democratic Change were progressing smoothly.
Morgan Tsvangirai leads an anti-Senate faction of the MDC, while Arthur Mutambara leads a pro-Senate faction.
The summit welcomed progress being made in this regard and urged all parties to a work towards a quick conclusion in negotiations, so that elections scheduled for early 2008 can be held "in an atmosphere of peace, allowing the people of Zimbabwe to elect the leaders of their choice".
During the summit, Zambian President Levi Mwanawasa was elected as SADC chairperson and Mbeki his deputy, while Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santo and King Mswati III of Swaziland were elected as chairperson and deputy chairperson of the organ on politics, defence and security cooperation respectively.
The SADC is composed of 14 countries namely, Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, Namibia, Tanzania, Swaziland, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Source: BuaNews
