The unity government has appealed for help from neighbours and from UN
agencies to tackle Zimbabwe's unprecedented economic and humanitarian
crisis.
South Africa's Foreign Affairs Department said Motlanthe would also
discuss with Ban, who is on his first visit to southern Africa, other
crises on the continent including strife-torn Somalia and the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
During his visit to Union Buildings Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and
President Motlanthe are expected to discuss among others African
developments including developments in Zimbabwe, DRC, Sudan, Somalia,
Madagascar and DRC, Foreign Affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said.
Ban's visit to the region comes days after he dispatched a team of aid
experts on a five-day mission to Zimbabwe to assess the country's
humanitarian needs.
The UN team that arrived in Harare at the weekend includes
representatives from the World Health Organisation, World Food
Programme and the United Nations Children's Fund. It is expected to
meet Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai during its stay in the
country.
Once a model African economy Zimbabwe is grappling with one of the
worst economic and humanitarian catastrophes outside a war zone, seen
in the world's highest inflation of more than 200 million percent,
acute food shortages and a cholera epidemic that has infected more than
80 000 people and killed nearly 4 000 others.
A unity government between Tsvangirai and Mugabe has raised hopes that
Zimbabwe could finally emerge from its crisis but analysts say the
international community would have to provide substantial aid if the
southern African country is to recover from nearly a decade of acute
recession.
Tsvangirai, who last week visited South Africa la Friday to discuss a
possible rescue package for his country, said long-term recovery would
require at least US$5 billion – money Zimbabwe or its neighbours do not
have.
The United States, Britain and other Western powers with the resources
to bankroll Zimbabwe's recovery have said they want to see evidence the
unity government is committed to implementing genuine political and
economic reform before they can provide aid. – ZimOnline