SADC has called on President Robert Mugabe and his coalition partners to implement agreed aspects of their power sharing deal while talks continue on issues still dividing the inclusive government.
The regional grouping is facilitating talks between President Mugabe and long-time rival Morgan Tsvangirai, now the country’s Prime Minister.
SADC’s security organ called a summit in Mozambique on Thursday to review implementation of Zimbabwe’s Global Political Agreement (GPA) as well as the political disturbances in Madagascar.
President Mugabe who was in the Mozambican capital Maputo to attend the inauguration of President Armando Guebuza skipped the summit leaving Foreign Affairs Minister, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi to represent the country.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai was also absent.
Meanwhile the organ commended South African leader Jacob Zuma, SADC’s point-man on Zimbabwe for his efforts sustain dialogue between the bickering coalition partners.
"What the summit has concluded is that the situation has moved forward in a very positive way in Zimbabwe," DRC President and current SADC chair Joseph Kabila said.
The organisation’s Executive Secretary Tomaz Salomao acknowledged there were unsettled issues still dividing President Mugabe and Tsvangirai but said the two leaders should move to implement agreed aspects of their power sharing pact.
"They don't need to wait until they conclude all of them. They need to implement what they have agreed so far. That was the decision that was taken by SADC," Salomao said.
SADC had been due to review progress in Zimbabwe's unity government since a special summit in Maputo last November broke a deadlock that threatened to sink the deal.
President Mugabe and Tsvangirai still disagree on various issues but talks between their respective political parties continue in an effort to bridge the differences.
Progress has however been made on some of the less touchy issues, including appointments of new ambassadors and the composition of some statutory bodies while efforts are also now underway to write a new constitution for the country.