VP Merafhe and US' Carson discuss southern Africa

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Friday February 4, 2011 00:00

Merafhe said it was too early to tell, but the initial indications suggested that Zuma appeared to be 'internally focused'. ' Merafhe also noted that he had no prior knowledge of, or contact with, the new South African Minister of Foreign Affairs but that she appeared to be solid.

On Zimbabwe Vice President Merafhe's response is not provided in the WikiLeaks report when Carson asked if SADC would increase pressure on Zimbabwe for Robert Mugabe to exit. However, Carson noted that US President, Barack Obama, saw Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai during his recent travel to Washington, and said that helping the Prime Minister without aiding Mugabe would be a challenge. Carson also said that the US government would remain engaged in Zimbabwe and continue to channel foreign assistance in support of the people of Zimbabwe through non-governmental organisations. USA government support for humanitarian assistance, HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and democracy and governance programmes in Zimbabwe will all continue under the USA foreign assistance programme. Agricultural sector inputs and education programming are also anticipated as new USA foreign assistance components.

MadagascarMerafhe said that Madagascar was also a 'nasty situation.' Carson noted that the AU will repeat efforts to assemble the four political parties in Madagascar in an effort to proceed with presidential elections and restore constitutional governance. Carson further noted that Andry Rajoelina is presently too young to secure the presidency under the Malagasy constitution and that the overall way forward in resolving the political impasse in Madagascar was still not clear.