Mugabe to take centre stage on food security, at AU summit

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai will not be attending after just completing a whirlwind tour to Europe and the US. Mugabe instead will be representing the unity government leadership at the summit, where its understood he will be addressing leaders about food security, despite Zimbabwe being the most food-aid dependent country in the world.

Mugabe, as orchestrator of the devastating land invasions under the banner of so-called land-reform, has crippled Zimbabwean agriculture. The country, which was once viewed as the breadbasket of Africa, now relies on aid and food imports as there is barely any meaningful food production taking place on farms in the country. At the same time, and further exacerbating the problem, productive farms have been forcibly taken over by land invaders as part of this years renewed offensive against commercial farmers. The result is that even less food is being produced, despite the Global Political Agreement, which saw the formation of the unity government, stating that food production would encouraged.

Justice for Agricultures (JAG) John Worsley-Worswick said on Tuesday that it is totally ludicrous that Mugabe will be addressing African leaders on food security. He expressed concern for the worrying precedent being set for the continent by African leaders who turn a blind eye to the atrocities committed by their counterparts.

Mugabe was the architect of the total destruction of agriculture in Zimbabwe, and the fact that he will be addressing these leaders as an expert in agriculture is ludicrous, Worsley-Worswick said.

Also topping the agenda at the meeting will be the indictment by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of Sudanese leader Omar al Bashir for war crimes. AU Summit host Libyan leader Muamar Gaddafi has urged his counterparts to consider withdrawing from the ICC over al Bashirs indictment, saying the court is handing out warped justice in favour of Europe. Gaddafi and other leaders want the ICC democratised, all the while calling for the charges against al Bashir to be dropped.

Meanwhile, Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose disputed re-election as President earlier this month led to widespread bloodshed, will be joining the high level meeting in Libya this week. Ahmadinejad is joining fellow dictators and human rights abusers in Libya to investigate Agricultural investment in Africa.