via AU and SADC dilemma over US Mugabe snub | SW Radio Africa 11 July 2014 by Tichaona Sibanda
African leaders are facing a dilemma over whether to boycott a landmark US-Africa summit next month in solidarity with President Robert Mugabe who has been snubbed by President Barack Obama.
Nearly 50 African Heads of State will be attending the two day summit in Washington which seeks to widen trade, development and security ties between America and Africa.
When the invitations were sent out earlier this year, those not in good standing with the US, like Mugabe or leaders under African Union suspension, were excluded. Egypt, Sudan and Madagascar are the other countries that have not been invited. The United States maintains sanctions against Mugabe and close officials citing election rigging, rights abuses and political violence.
On Thursday the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Bruce Wharton, said the summit will proceed as planned irrespective of Africa’s position on Mugabe’s exclusion.
AU and SADC leaders are arguing that since Mugabe is the continental body’s first vice president as well as the incoming chair of the regional bloc, it was wrong to exclude him from such an important summit.
The Zimbabwe Independent reported on Friday that analysts are already questioning whether Mugabe would add value to the regional SADC bloc given his advanced age and the persistent controversy associated with his rule.
Economic analyst Luke Zunga told SW Radio Africa that some African leaders may not attend in solidarity with Mugabe, but no African nation will boycott the summit, with those standing by Mugabe sending representatives on their behalf.
‘By not inviting Mugabe, the US is simply making a statement that he’s not behaving properly,’ Zunga said.
The economist explained that it would be suicidal for other countries to snub the summit just because Mugabe has not been invited. He said the US is a big investor in Africa with massive influence over two Washington based financial institutions, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
COMMENTS
There is no dilemma. We will see exactly how much support Mugabe and ZANU have in the region and the continent. My guess is that they are on their own.
The dilema is both AU and SADC are trade unions of dictators. THey are there to protect each other. The much bigger dilema is that Bob will lead both SADC and EU for 8 months watch this space. Our systems are not fit for any purpose than protecting dictators. Bob will endorse electoral mulpractice at SADC and protect them at AU as chair of both. Many elections are due during his leadership they better protect him from Obama or else sticks and carrots are waiting!!
Bob is going to die soon anyway. He is an old goat way last his expiry date. He won’t add any value whatsoever. All he will do is use the opportunity to spew his usual hogwash about so called illegal sanctions and his boring anti west statements. F&@k Mugabe. No one will stay away because he wasn’t invited. There is too much to lose for the sake of an old terrorist.
Let him go and be the usual laughing stock. Village idiot as he is
Mugabe is in the habit of de-railing every well meaning agenda to wage his own selfish wars against the West or some other enemy.He is a bitter ,vindictive old man who rains on everyone’s parade. He is tedious and the rest of Africa is better off stirring clear of this wet blanket.
Besides he has already covered half the world so far this year and should stay at home. There are loads of funetals to attend.
Come on Africa. Get over this guy. he is not doing us any favours
Love it – middle finger x2 and they don’t even deserve that.
Thank you Obama. Bob will not be missed at all!!
You know SADC and the AU are a joke: Botswanna excepted. Ty do not care one jot or iota about the people of Zimbabwe only for an old man who has brought untold suffering upon his people. SADC and the AU you have no idea what is right and what is wrong. You are a disgrace.
They will all attend, taking with them their begging bowls. Mugabe is a geriatric very bad joke. AU (Also Useless) and SADC are a pathetic bunch who are terrified of breaking rule one of the Africa Club, “never point fingers at fellow members”. Having said that, when free money is available they will drop their friends very quickly and Mugabe will find that out now!
Who made America ruler over us that they should determine who is a good guy and who is bad. if this was UN, I would understand
Um….. The fact that everybody knows the Mad Uncle Bob is a dictator and a savage. Killing his own people through starvation, yet he can go and spend millions of dorra’s (USD, not ZWD)on his extravagant trips overseas. If you think someone who is doing this is a good guy, then God help this continent, as we are all royally screwed.
He adds absolutely no value whatsoever to any meeting he attends. He just sits in his chair fast asleep in dreamland, dreaming of bygone day when Zim used to be something, to be a Zimbo was something…….
so, numbnuts, shut your trap.
On their own head that they should miss the opportunity to remain in the real world. Mugarbage has lost the plot.
Fancy a black Afro-American refusing a black Afro-Zimbawean.
AU/SADC at your own peril.
your tinpot dictators are ruining the world, beware the giants, AMERICA, Russia, germany, china, japan and europe, to dont care about Mugarbage and the african tinpots, Empty vessles make more noise.
US will not loose any sleep if a few African heads do not attend. Who stands to benefit from this anyway? The African nations should ask themselves first.
I am surprised that Obama / America/ the developed world is behaving like a little village kid who when wronged will stop playing with other village kids instead of working with them to reduce their differences. Following what has been going on between Zimbabwe and some countries in the first world which have been trying to isolate Mugabe/Zimbabwe for the land and other issues, I conclude that the strategy was a miasma. It’s time those countries in the developed world that are still finding engaging Zimbabwe being a bitter pill to swallow engaged it for the sake of alleviating the suffering ordinary Zimbabwean.
What, so that a country that used to feed itself and most of Southern Africa, can come with a begging bow….? Please Mr., we got rid of our highly efficient and productive farmers, now we can’t feed ourselves and we gonna put you on a guilt trip, so please can you give us food, but hey we hate you, you are the imperialists, you want to take over our country.. blah blah blah. The developed (and I am glad you said that – as Zim was on par with a lot of countries 30 odd years ago) countries don’t have to swallow a bitter pill, for what? They did not cause the destruction we see in Zim today, it was all due to ZANUPF mal-administration / theft / corruption / etc.
Wake up and smell the coffee.
do not like playing with village idiots.!!!!!
@ the future – it is the U.S’s right who it invites & when it chooses to exclude Mugabe who has a shameful record as president, who can blame them. Would you invite someone like that into your home? African leaders already show they don’t care for the people of Zimbabwe but if they want to put Mugabe before their own people what can one say?
True Democracy JUDGEMENT DAY values of the continent and its leaders would be construed perfectly on this one!!!
lets see how this is going to work, suspending a VICE PRESIDENT.
WHO IS GOING TO CHAIR his seat?
who is going to answer vice president’s question?
I think U.S just have to allow Bob attend the summit and deny the visa to the wife. This way I smell own goal.
Talk about democracy in this world Madlmduna! It’s a relative term and ,therefore, a stupid ass! While I don’t intent to open old wounds or sow seeds of discord , I just wish to point out that Zimbabwe was under the york of colonialism for a 100 years and during that time indigenous Zimbabwean lost their land, and other resources, and their dignity as human-beings. This is specifically why even today, 34 years after independence, most of them can easily be forgiven for singing the colonial master’s song . Where was democracy when indigenous Zimbabweans were treated as third class citizens in their own motherland ? Is democracy punishing ordinary people because of what they believe in or degrading SADC and AU by going against their beliefs ? To further illuminate the above argument Iraq was bombed to “ashes ” to “bring about democracy” but if the truth be told today there are more problems in the country than before and that has afforded those who are “democratic” the opportunity to siphon the country’s resources, more so, during these chaotic moments. Is this what you call democracy? Is democracy a preserve of those who have economic and military muscle or for a certain race? I am sure if colonial injustices in Zimbabwe and the situation in Iraq had been amicably solved we would not be talking about now. The world, being a global village it is today, needs dialogue more than force, I believe. I ,however, stand to be corrected.
If the murderous thieving Geriatric goes all he will do is snore and sleep during the meeting while Disgrace is out and about Shopping for Gucci products
If any of these All Useless (AU)Leaders got any balls they will tell Barack that they are sick and tired of thieving scumbags bufoons like Bob
and not one organisation representing the voice of the ordinary people- Civil Society has is being represented???
would like Barack to tell these self serving theiving scumbag african leaders off for looting from coffers and expecting everything on a silver plate because they are all birds of the same feather –