Union to reconsider its Mugabe strategy

Date: 24/03/05

The EU is unlikely to press for Robert Mugabe's regime to be censured for violence against political opponents at this year's session of the UN Human Rights Commission (14 March-22 April).

EU policymakers have decided to rethink their strategy towards the Geneva-based body after a motion on Zimbabwe they proposed at last year's gathering was rejected. Diplomats say that no consensus could be reached on tabling a motion when Zimbabwe was recently discussed at the Africa working group of the Council of Ministers. Some member states argued that it may be counterproductive to table too many resolutions on Africa and that instead they should focus their efforts on the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region.

In the past few years Britain has led calls for sanctions against Zimbabwe, particularly travel bans against key players in the ruling ZANU-PF party, whereas France has circumvented them, even by inviting Mugabe to Paris for meetings with President Jacques Chirac.

A British diplomat said he was not aware that his government was seeking to have a motion against Zimbabwe debated at the UN Commission.

Article reports that the EU was unlikely to press for Robert Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe to be censured for violence against political opponents at the 2005 session of the UN Human Rights Commission (14 March-22 April). No consensus on the issue was reached on tabling a new motion when Zimbabwe was discussed at the Africa working group of the Council of Ministers. EU policymakers thus decided to rethink their strategy towards the Geneva-based body after a motion on Zimbabwe they had proposed at the 2004 gathering had been rejected.

• Primary Source

European Commission: DG Development: Countries: Zimbabwe https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/countries/zimbabwe_en

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