Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

For several years, the situation in Zimbabwe has deteriorated dramatically and there has been no government there for more than a year. As the Minister noted, an agreement for power-sharing was signed last September between ZANU-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change but that agreement was broken by Mr. Mugabe in a dispute over the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs. In light of the deaths from cholera of almost 3,000 people since August 2008 and the dependence of almost half the population, 5 million people, on food aid in Zimbabwe, what can we in Ireland actually do? A certain number of individuals have had sanctions imposed on them and I note that number was increased recently by the European Union. However, this is not good enough and there appears to be general acceptance that this is okay. Has the Minister had discussions with the South African ambassador recently? If not, will he summon the ambassador and outline the dissatisfaction people in Ireland have regarding the lack of progress towards a resolution?

Does the Minister have a view on why the South African Development Community, in a statement yesterday, stated that a new government would be signed-up to on 11 February when it is clear that Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai and the Movement for Democratic Change had not signed up to it? What forces are at play here?

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