Thumbs up to Zuma – MDC
By KING SHANGO
Published on: 1st September, 2009
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ZIMBABWE – HARARE – The MDC has welcomed statements by Jacon Zuma that for Zimbabwe to successfully recover, the Global Political Agreement must be implemented without any delay.
The MDC described as “refreshing” statements by Zuma at the conclusion of his two-day official visit to Zimbabwe at the opening of the Harare Agricultural Society Show last Friday.
Zuma said the Global Political Agreement, signed in September last year, aimed at resolving long-running political tensions in the country, needed to be fully consummated by fulfilling all obligations in the agreements.
President Zuma reiterated that there were clear signs that Zimbabwe was on the road to recovery, however the challenge “we now face is to ensure that the country’s recovery is completed in the shortest space of time.
“For this to happen, it is absolutely necessary that the Global Political Agreement be fully implemented without delay.”
The MDC said the statement by the SADC chairman is refreshing.
“President Zuma has made an unequivocal statement that African nations should commit themselves to human
rights, good governance and democracy if our continent is to extricate itself from the bad-boy image,” MDC spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka said.
“We in the MDC have always been consistent in our commitment to fulfilling the GPA, to which we all appended our signatures. Our commitment as a tripartite government to what we have agreed between ourselves will have a domino effect that will unlock the much needed foreign aid and investment that are necessary to kick-start our economy.”
The MDC said this had been rallying call for all progressive forces adding “we must not renege on agreed positions and that we should abide by the dictates and the full meaning of our signature on the GPA.
“We must urgently resolve the outstanding issues such as the issue of provincial governors, permanent secretaries, ambassadors, the issue of Attorney General Johannes Tomana, central bank governor Gideon Gono and the swearing in of deputy minister designate, Hon Roy Bennett,” Tamborinyoka said.
President Zuma met with the signatories to the agreement in his capacity as SADC chairman.
In meetings on Thursday night and Friday morning, the parties discussed the critical issues relating to its implementation, the SA President’s Office said Monday.
“The parties agreed on the need to speed up implementation and to find solutions to the current points of disagreement,” the statement said. “The important factor is that there was commitment among all parties, which will make the movement forward possible. This is important, the President said, for restoring confidence in the country and the economy.
“The achievement of an effective recovery is also dependent on the removal of sanctions and other measures that hold back economic development,” Zuma said.
President Zuma used the opportunity of opening the agricultural show to call on the international community to remove any remaining hindrances to Zimbabwe’s recovery.
At the same time, he called on all parties in Zimbabwe to work together to remove any remaining obstacles to the implementation of the agreement.
President Zuma further added that South Africa has always stood with Zimbabwe in the search for a solution to the challenges facing the country, and remains committed to working with partners in Zimbabwe and the region to encourage further progress.
This visit takes place ahead of the SADC summit on 7-8 September in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
President Zuma expressed his confidence that his visit had served to strengthen even further the bonds of friendship and solidarity between the people of Zimbabwe and South Africa.
“Most importantly, it is our wish that it should help take forward the implementation of the Global Political Agreement”, President Zuma said.
