Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 23: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on such progress as has been made by the Mozambique President Chissano in his task as mediator at the initiative of the African Union in encouraging political dialogue in Zimbabwe. [25258/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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In the aftermath of Operation Murambatsvina launched by the Zimbabwean government in May 2005 and which resulted in an estimated 700,000 people being left homeless or without a livelihood, the former President of Mozambique, Mr. Joaquim Chissano, was requested by the African Union (AU) to act as a Special Envoy and mediate with both the Zimbabwean government and the opposition parties in Zimbabwe in an effort to promote political dialogue. However, the Zimbabwean government has refused to cooperate with this initiative or to engage with former President Chissano in his mediator role. The Zimbabwean government also refused to facilitate the visit in June 2005 of an earlier envoy appointed by the African Union, Mr. Tom Nyanduga, specifically to report on the consequences of Operation Murambatsvina.

I regret the unwillingness to date of the Zimbabwean government to cooperate with AU efforts to promote internal dialogue and mediate in the current difficult situation in Zimbabwe. I would encourage the AU and its member States to continue to use what influence they have to urge the Zimbabwean government to alter its current failed policies and move to a path of internal dialogue and peaceful, democratic change in Zimbabwe. The Government along with our EU partners will continue to work with all those in the international community seeking to promote democratic change in Zimbabwe. Senior officials from my Department availed of recent political consultations with South Africa in Pretoria on 22-23 June to outline the serious concerns which we have regarding Zimbabwe.

I also welcome the increased engagement by the UN Security Council and the efforts of Secretary General Annan and his Humanitarian Coordinator, Jan Egeland, to highlight the serious humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe. I understand that Secretary General Annan may meet with President Mugabe and President Mbeki of South Africa en marge of the forthcoming AU Summit in Banjul, The Gambia on 1-2 July. The AU Summit itself will provide a further valuable opportunity for African leaders to address, and encourage efforts to improve, the serious political, economic and humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe.