Zimbabwe (MRB Dec 2001): US offers sweetener as sanctions threaten and SADC backs Mugabe.

(MRB Dec 2001) The US government this month offered US$26 million as a sweetener if President Robert Mugabe met the conditions set in the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Bill, passed by the US Senate this month and now awaiting signature into law. $20m could go toward land reform and $6m to economic reforms and democratic transition. There was no indication the Zanu-PF government would even consider the offer, and late this month Mugabe told his party conference to expect physical battles with the opposition in the run-up to presidential elections next March. He has also said that he would accept international observers to the election, but not white men.

A visiting delegation of Southern African Development Community ministers - including the SA labour minister - rejected sanctions, and in their communique this month appeared not even to register the targeted 'smart' sanctions the EU and US are proposing. These would involve the freezing of Mugabe's personal assets and a ban on him and his officials travelling. They also condemned the "distorted and negative perceptions of Zimbabwe projected by the international and regional media".

Instead they backed the Harare government, accepted that it was abiding with the Abuja agreement on land reform, and called for Britain to start financing the process "as agreed in Abuja". They added the demand that the EU remove any threat of sanctions prior to scheduled talks with Zanu-PF within the context of ...