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Minister of Foreign Affairs |
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Statement by the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, CDE. Simbarashe S Mumbengegwi regarding the postponement of a visit to “the elders group.”
1. The former United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan, has announced at a press conference in South Africa that he and his team have been barred by the Government of Zimbabwe from coming to Zimbabwe.
- It is most unfortunate that the former Secretary General has, for reasons best known to himself, misrepresented the position of the Government of Zimbabwe. The allegations he has made are not supported by facts.
2. The Government of Zimbabwe has not barred Mr Annan and his team from coming to Zimbabwe. Mr Annan wrote to Government informing them of the intention of his team to make an overnight visit to Zimbabwe, during which time his team “would make a first hand assessment of what is needed to more effectively respond to the humanitarian situation in… … your country. Mr. Annan indicated that they would arrive on Saturday afternoon, 22 November 2008 and depart on Sunday morning, 23 November 2008.
3. The Government of Zimbabwe quickly responded to Mr. Annan advising that the proposed visit be postponed to a mutually agreed date in the future.
4. The postponement was necessary because Mr. Annan had made no prior consultations with the Government of Zimbabwe regarding both the timing and programme of his proposed visit as is the normal practice.
5. Had these prior consultations been done, Mr. Annan would have been made aware of the fact the Government of Zimbabwe had just undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe, working jointly with the United Nations World Food Programme and the United Nations Country Team in Zimbabwe.
6. This comprehensive joint assessment culminated in the development of a Consolidated Appeal that was launched in Geneva on 19 November 2008.
7. The joint assessment involved a Gap Analysis which stipulates areas in need of immediate attention by the humanitarian community. It takes into account the resources mobilization level on the part of government and thus identifies the gap to be filled by the humanitarian community.
8. The Government calls upon all those of goodwill to use the information contained in the joint assessment, the Consolidated Appeal and Gap Analysis to mobilize resources to address the humanitarian challenges facing Zimbabwe.
9. As a follow up to this joint assessment, the Government also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 18 November 2008 with the United Nations World Food Programme for the supply and distribution of 350 000 tones of food assistance. For this Zimbabwe is extremely grateful. Other interventions by the international humanitarian community are being initiated in response to the Consolidated Appeal in areas such as health, water and sanitation. This will go a long way towards complementing efforts by the Government of Zimbabwe.
10. Given that the government has just undertaken a thorough joint assessment with the United Nations World Food Programme and the United Nations Country Team.
11. The comprehensive documentation of the Joint Assessment of the Humanitarian Situation and the Consolidated Appeal have been made available to Mr. Kofi Annan.
12. The Government of Zimbabwe is fully aware of the humanitarian challenges facing the country. The Government of Zimbabwe is determined to address these challenges. These challenges are spelt out in detail in the Consolidated Appeal document.
13 The Government of Zimbabwe is ready and willing to engage with all those of good will in an effort to meet the goals and objectives of the Consolidated Appeal.
14. The Government of Zimbabwe takes strong exception to any suggestions that there are those out there who care more about the welfare of our people than we do.
15. Mr. Annan is a man of great experience. He knows the importance of prior consultations and preparations for high level visits such as the one he was proposing. We expect someone of his level to observe the correct procedure and practice.
16. Instead of calling a press conference in South Africa to misrepresent the position of the Government of Zimbabwe, he should have engaged with the Government of Zimbabwe to map the way forward.
22 November 2008
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