Harare, (New Ziana) – Zimbabwe plans to sign the Convention Establishing the International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed) as the country increases participation in regional and international organisations championing peace and human wellbeing.
Regional organisations, as insiders that are closely connected to certain conflicts, with intimate knowledge about local conditions and a stake in the outcome, make for better mediators.
Recent examples of peaceful intervention by regional intergovernmental organisations (IGOs) include peace agreements in El Salvador and Nicaragua in Central America with the assistance of the Organization of American States (OAS), and ECOWAS intervention in the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Closer home, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC) and the African Union (AU) are busy trying to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where fighting between government forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels has cost many lives and displaced over 700 000 people.
Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere said the Cabinet had considered and approved the signing of the Convention after a presentation by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi, who chairs the Cabinet Committee on Legislation.
Dr Muswere said the Cabinet had found it desirable for the country to become a party to the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed) because of its continued increasing participation in regional and international organisations that champion peace and human well-being.
IOMed, which is championed by the People’s Republic of China, will become the first intergovernmental international legal organisation dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation.
“The IOMed plays a crucial role in implementing the peaceful resolution of international disputes, as stipulated in the United Nations Charter, and offers a new option for countries to resolve disputes peacefully,” said Dr Muswere.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet has also approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Zimbabwe and the Republic of Nicaragua on the Establishment of a Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation following the presentation by Ziyambi.
The Agreement aims to bolster bilateral relations and cooperation by promoting mutual understanding and collaboration while the Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation will focus on strengthening bilateral ties and fostering cooperation across various sectors, including Economic Cooperation, Scientific and Technological Advancements, Environmental Protection, Education, and Cultural Exchange.
Dr Muswere said Cabinet also received and noted a report on the Virtual SADC Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government held last Thursday from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Professor Amon Murwira.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is the SADC chairperson, chaired the Extraordinary Summit, which was attended by Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania, Namibia, Mozambique, Madagascar, South Africa, Zambia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Malawi, Mauritius Angola and Seychelles.
The Summit received an update on the latest security situation in the DRC from the chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan.
It agreed on phased withdrawal of the SADC Mission in DRC (SAMIDRC) while reaffirming the regional body’s unwavering commitment to continue supporting the DRC in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity while ensuring sustainable peace and security.
The Summit recognised the efforts of the EAC and SADC in dealing with the situation in the DRC and reiterated the call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, the cessation of hostilities, and the protection of free movement of civilians seeking safety.
It also urged all parties to uphold international humanitarian principles, desist from attacking civilian infrastructure, and guarantee unhindered humanitarian support access.
New Ziana
