MORE GROWING PAINS

African leaders will carry message from U.S. when they meet Mugabe: Washington seeks new elections in Zimbabwe (Steven Edwards, 5/05/03, National Post)

The United States has signalled it wants "regime change" in Zimbabwe as two of Africa's most powerful leaders prepare to visit President Robert Mugabe to discuss the deepening political and humanitarian crisis in his country.

Washington believes a free and fair ballot can occur in the southern African nation only if Mr. Mugabe hands over power to a transitional government for a new vote.

A similar plan is unfolding in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein.

But in Zimbabwe, where Mr. Mugabe was returned in a March, 2002, election that many international observers say he rigged, the United States is relying on the diplomatic muscle of African states to persuade him to step down.

Thabo Mbeki, the South African President, and Olusegun Obasanjo, his Nigerian counterpart, will visit the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, today. They will be joined by Bakili Muluzi, Malawi's President.

Although Mr. Mbeki has been among the most vocal African leaders supporting Mr. Mugabe, his trip is seen as an indication he is ready to put more pressure on the Zimbabwean President.

The South African leader is said to be worried about how the Zimbabwean crisis is affecting Western countries' commitment to the New Economic Partnership for African Development, a made-in-Africa initiative that calls on the West to provide aid and investment for Africa in exchange for Africa's commitment to improve the quality of government and economic management.

Canada and other leading industrial countries promised to support NEPAD through an Africa Action Plan promoted by Jean Chretien, the Prime
Minister, at the 2002 G8 meeting.

While the United States has not openly threatened to link continued support for NEPAD to Mr. Mugabe's removal, the Bush administration's emerging policy on development aid calls for rewarding sound policy decisions that lead to economic growth and reduce poverty.

It seems unlikely that any amount of Western aid can ever begin to turn Africa around until those who play leading roles in the affairs of the continent stop apologizing for each others behavior and start demanding that every nation meet certain standards of freedom. Making it clear that they too find it necessary to get rid of Mugabe, by whatever means necessary, would be a good place to start. Posted by Orrin Judd at May 6, 2003 4:09 PM