Opinion / Columnist
What will Zimbabwe do on the UN Security Council without a foreign policy?
30 Sep 2024 at 09:58hrs | Views
Zimbabwe is campaigning to be elected as one of the non-permanent UN Security Council members for the period 2027-28.
Yet, since the overthrow of President Robert Gabriel through a military coup d'état in November 2017, Zimbabwe has never had a clear-cut, well-established foreign policy.
Under President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, the government of Zimbabwe has adopted a somewhat vague 'friend to all and enemy to no one' doctrine.
This is merely a polite way of saying that the country has no defined stance on global geopolitical issues.
In the just-ended 79th UN General Assembly in New York, Mnangagwa, represented by foreign affairs minister Fredrick Shava, merely issued the usual pleas for peace in the Middle East and the lifting of sanctions on several counties, including Zimbabwe.
Even on the contentious issue of sanctions - which the Zimbabwe regime has repeatedly alleged were 'crippling the economy' - the Mnangagwa administration has never really come out openly in calling out those who imposed those restrictive measures.
In fact, he sounds more like he is begging those who imposed these supposed 'sanctions' - which are, in reality, simply travel and financial restrictions on Mnangagwa and a few of his cronies - to remove them.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Group on: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CBQVPGODBPQG969OBVLyeT
If these measures were genuinely behind the untold poverty and suffering of the ordinary people of Zimbabwe, should we not be seeing our president spitting fire and brimstone at these global events?
However, Mnangagwa appears as though he is actually too afraid to confront the West.
As much as I never supported Mugabe nor agreed with his beliefs - which is why I spent years condemning his regime - at least, it was never a secret where he stood on important and even controversial international matters.
He came out guns blazing against the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) attack on Libya and the subsequent killing of its long-term ruler Muammar Gadhafi.
We all knew where he stood with the US attack on Iraq as well as the removal and eventual execution of its leader, Saddam Hussein.
Hate him or love him - the man never hesitated to make his views known.
We can definitely not say the say about his successor Mnangagwa.
Does anyone genuinely know Zimbabwe's views on the Israeli attacks on Gaza?
Besides the generalized talk of peace, what is Mnangagwa's position on this conflict?
This is in stark contrast to our neighbour South Africa, for instance, who have made their stance unambiguously clear to all.
In May 2024, South Africa even took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to order the latter (Israel) to stop its military offensive in Rafah.
It was part of an ongoing case that began in December 2023 alleging Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Whether we agree with South Africa's position or not, no one can deny that the country has never been shy in making its position clear to the whole world.
They have a clearly defined policy on global geopolitics.
Zimbabwe, on the other hand, has chosen the path of vagueness or keeping completely silent.
Even in light of the ongoing Israeli bombings on Lebanon - which have resulted in the targeted killings of some of the militant group, Hezbollah's senior leaders, such as Hassan Nasrallah - Mnangagwa has never uttered a word.
Not even his empty calls for 'peace'.
It does not matter whether he supports or is against these attacks, but a leader who wants to be taken seriously on the global stage needs to make his views known.
So, how on earth is Zimbabwe expected to play an active meaningful role on the UN Security Council?
Let's remember that this body is the supreme decision-making organ of the United Nations and literally determines international affairs.
A seat on the Security Council should not be merely symbolic but a huge responsibility in shaping the direction the world takes.
Those who sit on this organ have the power to write the history of the world.
As such, this is a position for those who are not afraid to take the bull by its horns on any geopolitical issue.
In other words, this requires member states who boldly declare their positions on particular global issue and are prepared to take a firm stand.
From what we have seen so far, Zimbabwe, especially under Mnangagwa, is not one of those countries.
The best we can expect from the country, if elected onto the UN Security Council, are the usual generalized calls for peace and nothing else.
Yet, at times, for this 'peace' to be realized, there is a need to tough action, which may include imposing sanctions on offending entities or even military intervention.
Is Mnangagwa up to such a task?
Clearly not!
Why, then, should the country be elected onto the UN Security Council.
To do what? To sleep?
Or, is this merely one of those moves intended to massage Mnangagwa's fragile ego - whereby, the ruling establishment in Zimbabwe will tout this election as a sign of the president's 'growing international stature'?
Is this not what we witnessed with the Zimbabwe's current Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairmanship?
In spite of this position largely being ceremonial and rotated amongst all member states, the Zimbabwean authorities have disingenuously packaged this as an endorsement of Mnangagwa's leadership.
Not only that, but they painted a false narrative of Mnangagwa having been elected as the 'regional president'!
What an utter outrage and embarrassment on the country!
This is the same reason I believe the Mnangagwa administration is so eager for Zimbabwe to land the UN Security Council seat.
If this bid is successful, we will be told that Mnangagwa had been elected as a 'world cabinet minister' or onto the 'global executive committee'!
We may even end up being told that Mnangagwa had veto powers and could use his newfound 'powers' to declare sanctions on the US!
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Yet, since the overthrow of President Robert Gabriel through a military coup d'état in November 2017, Zimbabwe has never had a clear-cut, well-established foreign policy.
Under President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, the government of Zimbabwe has adopted a somewhat vague 'friend to all and enemy to no one' doctrine.
This is merely a polite way of saying that the country has no defined stance on global geopolitical issues.
In the just-ended 79th UN General Assembly in New York, Mnangagwa, represented by foreign affairs minister Fredrick Shava, merely issued the usual pleas for peace in the Middle East and the lifting of sanctions on several counties, including Zimbabwe.
Even on the contentious issue of sanctions - which the Zimbabwe regime has repeatedly alleged were 'crippling the economy' - the Mnangagwa administration has never really come out openly in calling out those who imposed those restrictive measures.
In fact, he sounds more like he is begging those who imposed these supposed 'sanctions' - which are, in reality, simply travel and financial restrictions on Mnangagwa and a few of his cronies - to remove them.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Group on: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CBQVPGODBPQG969OBVLyeT
If these measures were genuinely behind the untold poverty and suffering of the ordinary people of Zimbabwe, should we not be seeing our president spitting fire and brimstone at these global events?
However, Mnangagwa appears as though he is actually too afraid to confront the West.
As much as I never supported Mugabe nor agreed with his beliefs - which is why I spent years condemning his regime - at least, it was never a secret where he stood on important and even controversial international matters.
He came out guns blazing against the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) attack on Libya and the subsequent killing of its long-term ruler Muammar Gadhafi.
We all knew where he stood with the US attack on Iraq as well as the removal and eventual execution of its leader, Saddam Hussein.
Hate him or love him - the man never hesitated to make his views known.
We can definitely not say the say about his successor Mnangagwa.
Does anyone genuinely know Zimbabwe's views on the Israeli attacks on Gaza?
Besides the generalized talk of peace, what is Mnangagwa's position on this conflict?
This is in stark contrast to our neighbour South Africa, for instance, who have made their stance unambiguously clear to all.
In May 2024, South Africa even took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to order the latter (Israel) to stop its military offensive in Rafah.
It was part of an ongoing case that began in December 2023 alleging Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Whether we agree with South Africa's position or not, no one can deny that the country has never been shy in making its position clear to the whole world.
They have a clearly defined policy on global geopolitics.
Zimbabwe, on the other hand, has chosen the path of vagueness or keeping completely silent.
Even in light of the ongoing Israeli bombings on Lebanon - which have resulted in the targeted killings of some of the militant group, Hezbollah's senior leaders, such as Hassan Nasrallah - Mnangagwa has never uttered a word.
It does not matter whether he supports or is against these attacks, but a leader who wants to be taken seriously on the global stage needs to make his views known.
So, how on earth is Zimbabwe expected to play an active meaningful role on the UN Security Council?
Let's remember that this body is the supreme decision-making organ of the United Nations and literally determines international affairs.
A seat on the Security Council should not be merely symbolic but a huge responsibility in shaping the direction the world takes.
Those who sit on this organ have the power to write the history of the world.
As such, this is a position for those who are not afraid to take the bull by its horns on any geopolitical issue.
In other words, this requires member states who boldly declare their positions on particular global issue and are prepared to take a firm stand.
From what we have seen so far, Zimbabwe, especially under Mnangagwa, is not one of those countries.
The best we can expect from the country, if elected onto the UN Security Council, are the usual generalized calls for peace and nothing else.
Yet, at times, for this 'peace' to be realized, there is a need to tough action, which may include imposing sanctions on offending entities or even military intervention.
Is Mnangagwa up to such a task?
Clearly not!
Why, then, should the country be elected onto the UN Security Council.
To do what? To sleep?
Or, is this merely one of those moves intended to massage Mnangagwa's fragile ego - whereby, the ruling establishment in Zimbabwe will tout this election as a sign of the president's 'growing international stature'?
Is this not what we witnessed with the Zimbabwe's current Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairmanship?
In spite of this position largely being ceremonial and rotated amongst all member states, the Zimbabwean authorities have disingenuously packaged this as an endorsement of Mnangagwa's leadership.
Not only that, but they painted a false narrative of Mnangagwa having been elected as the 'regional president'!
What an utter outrage and embarrassment on the country!
This is the same reason I believe the Mnangagwa administration is so eager for Zimbabwe to land the UN Security Council seat.
If this bid is successful, we will be told that Mnangagwa had been elected as a 'world cabinet minister' or onto the 'global executive committee'!
We may even end up being told that Mnangagwa had veto powers and could use his newfound 'powers' to declare sanctions on the US!
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
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