Leaders of the Southern African Development Community assembled for a summit Monday in the Democratic Republic of Congo decided not to examine progress by Zimbabwe's national unity government and discuss issues that continue to trouble power-sharing in Harare, but will hold an extraordinary summit in a few weeks focused exclusively on Zimbabwe.
SADC and Zimbabwean sources said the extraordinary summit is likely to be held in Maputo, Mozambique, in about three weeks time.
Notwithstanding this deferral, outgoing SADC Chairman and South African President Jacob Zuma as well as incoming SADC Chairman and DRC President Joseph Kabila urged parties to the 2008 Global Political Agreement for power sharing to implement it fully.
James Maridadi, spokesman for Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, told Studio 7 reporter Jonga Kandemiiri that Zimbabwe was never officially on the agenda.
London-based human rights lawyer Dewa Mavhinga, in Kinshasa to lobby SADC leaders to deal decisively with the many issues hindering proper governance and economic recovery in Zimbabwe, applauded the SADC decision to call a special summit on Zimbabwe.
Pretoria-based political analyst George Mkhwanazi told reporter NtungamiIi Nkomo of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that SADC was showing greater commitment on Zimbabwe - but added that he doubted even a special summit could untangle outstanding issues.
More reports from VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe...
