Annan snubs Mugabe on Africa tour

Annan snubs Mugabe on Africa tour

• Annan 'dismayed' as Zimbabwe rejects aid

• Mugabe compares Bush, Blair to Hitler

• US 'amazed' at UN's Rome invite for Mugabe

• Mugabe attacks US, UK coalition of evil

• Mugabe rescinds Annan invitation

• NZ, Australia lobby UN on Mugabe indictment

• Zimbabwe blocks UN aid in row

• Britain drags Zim to UN security council

• China vows to block Zim entry on UN agenda

• Zimbabwe death toll rises from slum blitz

• UN chief agrees to Zimbabwe visit

• Full text of MDC's reaction to UN report

• Zimbabwe officials reject damning UN report

• Annan 'profoundly distressed' by UN report

• UN report lashes Mugabe regime

• UN report on 'clean up' sent to Mugabe

• Annan in thinly-veiled attack on Mugabe

• Zimbabwe police admit 5 killed in 'clean up'

• Mugabe denies thousands displaced

• UN official weeps at Mugabe terror

• UN envoy has 'good talks' with Mugabe

• Rice says Zim situation 'tragic'

• Mugabe targets urban agriculture

• United Nations probes Zimbabwe 'clean up'

By Lebo Nkatazo

UNITED Nations (UN) secretary general Koffi Annan has snubbed President Robert Mugabe by passing Harare on his ongoing four-nation visit to Southern Africa.

At the beginning of the year, foreign affairs spokesperson John Mayowe said Annan would be visiting Zimbabwe to assess Operation Murambatsvina this month following Mugabe’s attack of the UN chief’s two envoys who condemned the demolition exercise.

At the time, Mayowe said the UN undersecretary general for political affairs Ibrahim Gambari delivered the message about the much awaited visit to Mugabe on December 4 2005 in Mali on the sidelines of the 23rd France- Africa Summit.

Mugabe extended an invitation to Annan last year “to visit Zimbabwe and see for himself the situation on the ground”, in the aftermath of a damning report prepared by Anna Tibajulka.

The UN cancelled another intended visit last year.

When Annan’s second envoy Jan Egelend endorsed Tibaijuka’s report, a furious Mugabe blasted him, labeling him a liar. The Zimbabwean dictator said he would accept no more UN envoys, but Annan himself.

In an update this week, the UN said Annan would visit South Africa, Madagasca, the republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He would meet Mugabe’s counterparts in the four countries.

Currently in South Africa, Annan is expected to address a joint session of the country’s Parliament in Cape Town. He will also meet Nelson Mandela.

After the South Africa visit, Annan heads for Madagascar, where he plans to hold meetings with President Marc Ravalomanana and other officials and receive an honorary doctorate from the National Academy of Arts, Letters and Sciences.

He will wrap up his itinerary with a stop in the DRC where, besides meeting President Joseph Kabila in Kinshasa, he will address the Congolese people.
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
newsdesk@newzimbabwe.com