Zimbabwe isolation continues

Zimbabwe isolation continues

…as Harare was left out of US Africa Command security meeting in Botswana

POLITICAL EDITOR

Defence chiefs drawn from 32 African nations, excluding Zimbabwe, are attending a two-day U.S Africa Command conference in Gaborone, Botswana, focusing on the security situation on the continent.

Zimbabwe was not invited to the conference but a junior officer, Charles Shumba who is attached to the country’s embassy in the country, is attending the meeting at the invitation of the host nation.

A senior U.S military official attending the conference says Botswana included Zimbabwe in the list of participants but Washington objected.

U.S-Africa Command (AFRICOM) director of intelligence, Rose Keravouri, told VOA, it was the decision of the “civilian leadership” to exclude Zimbabwe.

“We take instructions from our civilian leadership. Because of some policies in Zimbabwe, the Security Council said they will not be invited to the conference,” Keravouri said.

However, she said the move does not mean Zimbabwe is being isolated.

“(But) that’s not to say we cannot learn lessons from Zimbabwe. I want to push back on the statement that we are isolating Zimbabwe. That is not the intent. The intent is we come in when we are asked. If any African partner wants support or wants us to help in a certain region that is what we help with.”