“They’re making a storm out of a teacup.”
Mr Chidyausiku
Zimbabwe’s ambassador to the UN
Zimbabwe children walk past an occupied farm on their way home from school in 2000. Zimbabwe’s government has said it will issue eviction notices to former white commercial farmers and new black farmers who are occupying land without permission.(AFP/File)
Zimbabwe is defending its right to head a UN Commission on Development.
The BBC reported:
Zimbabwe has dismissed Western objections to its appointment to head a key UN body, the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD).
“What has sustainable development to do with human rights?” Zimbabwe’s ambassador to the UN told the BBC.The position traditionally rotates through the regions of the world, with Africa next in line.
But some countries say Zimbabwe’s high inflation, unemployment and rights record make it an unsuitable candidate.
“They’re making a storm out of a teacup.”
He said the real objection came down to Britain’s criticism of Zimbabwe’s controversial land reform programme.
Zimbabwe’s food production has plummeted since land reforms in 2000 that saw thousands of white-owned farms seized.
“We see it as a translation of a bilateral quarrel between London and Harare on the land reform programme,” Mr Chidyausiku said.
He said the European countries should respect the decision of the African block.
“When they tell the African group to change, it’s an insult to our intelligence – that we Africans can’t think,” he said.
Inflation in Zimbabwe is sitting at a record high of 2,200% as at March 31.
W-Zip says its one more reason to laugh at this bunch.