Zimbabwe to intensify lobby for UN Security Council seat

ZIMBABWE will take its lobby for a United Nations Security Council seat to the African Union (AU) when the continental bloc meets in February, President Mnangagwa has said.

The Southern African Development Community (Sadc) and AU member states have already thrown their weight behind Zimbabwe's bid. In an interview on the sidelines of the 19th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the third summit of the Group of 77 plus China (G77+China), the President said Zimbabwe was pushing for more support in its bid.

"It is necessary that we continue to come together in the Non-Aligned Movement. Yes, we are here, we are bidding for a seat in the Security Council and at least I'm aware that Sadc is in support of us and also AU, although we need to push for more support in the AU. This year, we are taking the bid to the AU as we meet for the AU summit."

Turning to the conflict in Gaza, President Mnangagwa said the matter should not be ignored, adding that Israel's acts were a violation of human rights.

"It's an issue that cannot be put under the carpet; we are very clear that the Gaza issue should not be ignored. We believe that the Palestinian people must be supported because they are being troubled by the Isrealis and so on," he said.

Both Palestine and Israel, he said, needed to engage in dialogue to stop further loss of life and damage to infrastructure.

"So, we, members of the Non-Aligned Movement, want to see dialogue between the two parties so that the suffering and destruction of property and infrastructure must be stopped and then whatever conflict or disagreement must be resolved at the table through a dialogue . . . The Saharawi continues to be a subject of concern, but we, as Zimbabwe, support the rights and sovereignty of the Saharawi."

President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was happy that the NAM summit continues to promote developing countries' developmental efforts, as this would ensure that their voices are heard and not left out in the global development matrix.

"When we became independent, we immediately joined the Non-Aligned Movement and, as you may remember, we once hosted the Non-Aligned Movement conference in the 1980s and we are a proud and prominent member of the movement. We are happy that again it has been hosted here in Africa and we are happy that it continues to promote Third World aspirations and policies. I am also happy with the way President Museveni was very focused in relation to the promotion of Third World countries — ourselves. So, we as Zimbabweans are supportive of making sure South-to-South co-operation is promoted and this conference which was held here had that focus, and I believe that as we continue to go forward, the voice of the Third World nations will continue to be heard. I am happy to have been invited to this conference here in Uganda and I had the opportunity to share views with His Excellency President Museveni comprehensively on the way forward as African Heads of State."