News / National
Over 50 foreign observer invited
05 Jul 2013 at 14:40hrs | Views
Over 50 foreign observer groups have been invited to observe the country's harmonised elections which will be held on the 31st of this month.
Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi has maintained that countries that have imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe will not observe local elections as they cannot be objective.
According to a list from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which is mandated under the constitution to invite foreign observers, those invited are drawn from regional and sub-regional organisations such as Africa, Caribbean and Pacific, the African Union, the Association of South-Asian Nations, Caribbean community, COMESA, the Community of Lusophone countries, East African Community, Non-Aligned Movement, the Pan African Parliament, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and others.
The ministry has also invited individual countries from the SADC region and those African countries that in the past have also invited Zimbabwe to observe their elections.
Among these are Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.
From Asia, the country has invited China, India, Indonesia, Iran, and Malaysia.
From the Americas, Brazil, Jamaica, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba have also been invited.
From Europe individual countries invited are Russia, Belarus and Serbia.
Mumbengegwi said diplomatic missions based in Zimbabwe will be allowed a maximum of five observers only.
The United States-based December 12 Movement is also on the list of observers.
Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi has maintained that countries that have imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe will not observe local elections as they cannot be objective.
According to a list from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which is mandated under the constitution to invite foreign observers, those invited are drawn from regional and sub-regional organisations such as Africa, Caribbean and Pacific, the African Union, the Association of South-Asian Nations, Caribbean community, COMESA, the Community of Lusophone countries, East African Community, Non-Aligned Movement, the Pan African Parliament, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and others.
The ministry has also invited individual countries from the SADC region and those African countries that in the past have also invited Zimbabwe to observe their elections.
Among these are Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.
From the Americas, Brazil, Jamaica, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba have also been invited.
From Europe individual countries invited are Russia, Belarus and Serbia.
Mumbengegwi said diplomatic missions based in Zimbabwe will be allowed a maximum of five observers only.
The United States-based December 12 Movement is also on the list of observers.
Source - zbc
