via Mugabe flies out yet again – DailyNews Live 20 April 2015 by Gift Phiri
HARARE – President Robert Mugabe is today set to embark on yet another money blowing globe-trotting journey and this time he is headed for Indonesia for a summit and the commemoration of the formation of the Non-Aligned Movement (Nam).
Mugabe will attend the Asia-Africa Summit and the commemoration of the historic Bandung summit held in Indonesia in 1955, which has brought together Africa and Asia to push forward the struggle for liberation and self-determination.
This week’s summit will mark the 60th anniversary of the Asia-Africa conference, a gathering that laid the foundation for Nam.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the Asia-Africa conference, that is being hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
South Africa President Jacob Zuma has deployed his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa after cancelling his visit to handle matters at home relating to attacks on foreign nationals that has courted international condemnation.
The summit offers Mugabe the prospect of increasing economic integration, not just in Asia but also with other regions.
Sandwiched between the formal summits is the meeting in Bandug where dozens of formal and informal meetings with world leaders will be held to advance Nam interests.
Yuri Thamrin, the directorate general of Asia-Africa relations at the Indonesian Foreign ministry, revealed in a statement this week that “Africa is an opportunity”.
Like Asia, Africa is home to many of the world’s fastest growing economies and a rising middle class, he said, pointing to growth in two-way trade between the regions that jumped from $2,8 billion in 1990 to $270 billion by 2012.
More than 100 world leaders started gathering in Jakarta yesterday to mark the formation of Nam when in 1955, representatives from 29 governments of Asian and African nations gathered in Bandung, to discuss peace and the role of the Third World in the Cold War, economic development, and decolonisation.
Leaders of developing countries banded together to avoid being forced to take sides in the Cold War contest. The initial motivation for the movement was the promotion of peace.
In the 1970s Nam grew increasingly radical in its condemnation of the policies of the Cold War super powers.
But unlike the original gathering, which included mostly Asian participants, this year’s summit will be largely even.
In 1955, the conference was focused on peace, security and economic development at the time of the Cold War.
Sixty years on, the world is very different, and many are asking whether Nam still carries any relevance.
In previous summits, African and Asian nations have agreed on urgent measures to tackle illegal ivory trade — from the slaughter of elephants to the trafficking of their valuable tusks to East Asia.
COMMENTS
Previous summits tackled illegal ivory tusks sales. Maybe this summit can tackle how Zimbabwe still deals in tusks but has doubled up by also dealing in whole Elephants! Anyway,, if anyone flies to Indonesia it would be silly to not also stop over in Singapore and relax.
This is the kind of summit that Mugabe must delegate to the foreign minister or one of the vice presidents.
Why does he have to go to all these summits? I am sure the reason he had to go is because the plane will have a useful stopover for him in Singapore before proceeding to Jakarta. I am sure Grace will also be part of the delegation this time.
Isn’t it ironic that we heard some people clowning & applauding Patrick for declaring that civil servants wont be get bonuses in the coming years. Yet the same people don’t raise a finger when Mugabe continues to gallivant the world wasting scarce resources. Where are the Msipas of this world? Shouldn’t they insist on the cutting of Mugabe’s tourisms adventures as the best starting point in trying to relieve the over-stretched fiscus – instead of applauding Patrick for his zeal to punishing already under paid civil servants. Nxaaaaaaaaa!
Why does he go? Well, each time he goes a lot of money goes with him.
It’s required to bring back his next lot of purchases and to top up the bank accounts. He knows when he goes there is going to be no place for mugabes in Zimbabwe.
watch out, he and his cronies are stashing money and other assets in “friendly” environments as fast as they can – they know the end of this thuggery is very close. Someone on the inside needs to try and stop this, although there probably is not much left now
Sounds like what many of us were saying in 2007/8..
Migrants from his ex pals (Gadaffi) country and other african countries drowing in the meditteranean in seek of a better life, Xenophobia in South Africa against migrants trying to put food on the table, Boko Haram kidnapping girls in Nigeria , Alshabab terrorising Kenya and the Chair of All Useless Club and Southern African Dictators club decides to fly to Indonesia