RESOLUTION(1)

on the situation in Zimbabwe

The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly,

- meeting in Brussels (Belgium) from 9 to 12 October 2000,

- having regard to the new ACP-EC Partnership Agreement signed in Cotonou, Benin on 23 June 2000,

- having regard to the OAU Resolution of 12 July 2000 on the situation in Zimbabwe,

- having regard to the communiqué of the SADC Heads of State and Government issued in Windhoek, Namibia on 7 August 2000 on Zimbabwe,

A. referring to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,

B. recognising that there is no single political system or single universal model for electoral processes equally suited to all countries and their peoples, and that political systems and electoral processes are subject to historical, political, cultural and other factors,

C. recalling that the inequitable distribution of land was one of the primary causes of the War of Liberation that brought independence to Zimbabwe in 1980 following a protracted armed struggle against colonial occupation;

D. convinced that the resolution of the land question remains a central element of economic restructuring, democratisation and decolonisation and that uncertainty and contestation and the land question has contributed to food insecurity, withdrawal of investment and donor support and unemployment,

E. recalling also the undertaking made by the United Kingdom at the Lancaster House Talks in 1979 to fund the land acquisition and resettlement programme in Zimbabwe,

F. whereas the parliamentary elections which took place in Zimbabwe on 24 and 25 June 2000 were observed by observers and monitors from organisations such as the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the ACP, the Commonwealth, the EU and several thousand local Zimbabwean monitors,

G. whereas the elections were won by the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) of President R.G. Mugabe by 62 seats to 57 for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and 1 seat for ZANU Ndonga, reflecting a plurality of views among the people of Zimbabwe,

H. whereas although there were serious problems of violence in the run-up to the elections, the casting of ballots during the two days of polling was conducted in a calm atmosphere and a peaceful manner and all the political parties which participated in the elections accepted the final result,

I. whereas the establishment of democracy in developing countries like Zimbabwe is a continuous process which requires assistance in building both human and institutional capacity,

1. Welcomes the holding of the fifth free and fair parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe on 24 and 25 June 2000 and congratulates the Government and people of Zimbabwe on the outcome of the elections;

2. Considers that the outcome of the elections will be positive for the development of a viable multi-party democracy in Zimbabwe;

3. Emphasises that the recent electoral process in Zimbabwe was characterised by three separate but not unrelated phases, namely the election campaign, the casting and counting of ballots and the declaration of results;

4. Expresses its satisfaction with the peaceful, free and fair manner in which the people of Zimbabwe cast their ballots and commends them for turning out in large numbers during the elections to exercise their democratic right to elect the government of their choice;

5. Recognises that the outcome of the elections constitutes an expression of the genuine wishes and aspirations of the people of Zimbabwe;

6. Noting that the serious economic difficulties facing the Zimbabwean economy threaten the viability of Southern African economies;

7. Calls on all political leaders, both Government and opposition, to create a climate for normalised political activity and contestation according to the norms of democratic practice; and to act to break the potential vicious cycle of inflammatory statements and retaliation;

8. Calls on the European Union and other interested organisations to assist Zimbabwe to support capacity-building programmes aimed at strengthening its democratic institutions and to tackle the challenging economic reform measures currently under way;

9. Calls on the United Kingdom to honour its obligations in accordance with the provisions of the Lancaster House Agreement of 1979 relating to the funding of the land acquisition and resettlement exercise for millions of landless peasants in Zimbabwe;

10. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the Commission, the United Nations, the OAU, SADC and the Government of Zimbabwe.

(1) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 12 October 2000 in Brussels (Belgium).