Resolution on the situation in Zimbabwe
Date: 2008-11-28
Institutions: ACP–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
Subjects: ACP-EU Joint Assembly, Zimbabwe, adoption of a law by vote, parliamentary assembly, parliamentary vote, peacekeeping, public safety, the EU's international role

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11. Urges the junta to consider the multiple benefits for the Mauritanian people of taking part in the poli-
tical process for peace, democracy, prosperity and human, social and cultural understanding outlined at
the Summit for the Mediterranean of 13 July 2008, which was attended by Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh
Abdallahi, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania;

12. Welcomes the sending of an ACP Committee of Ambassadors' delegation and notes the adoption of the

Mauritanian National Assembly resolution of 14 September 2008;

13. Decides to send an ACP-EU parliamentary delegation to Mauritania, to assist the Mauritanian Parliament
in rediscovering its unity and seeking a way out of the crisis that is honourable for all concerned;

14. Instructs it Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the European Commission,
the Pan-African Parliament, the Commission of the African Union, the Arab Maghreb Union, the
United Nations Security Council and the National Assembly and other authorities of Mauritania.

RESOLUTION (1)

on the situation in Zimbabwe

The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly,

— meeting in Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) from 25 to 28 November 2008,

— having regard to Article 17(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

— having regard to the report of 29 March 2008 of the Pan-African Parliament Election Observer Mission

on the harmonised elections in the Republic of Zimbabwe,

— having regard to the preliminary statement of 29 June 2008 of the Pan-African Parliament Election

Observer Mission on the Zimbabwe presidential run-off and House of Assembly by-elections,

— having regard to the interim statement of 30 June 2008 of the Pan-African Parliament Election

Observer Mission to the presidential run-off and parliamentary by-elections in Zimbabwe,

— having regard to the preliminary statement of 29 June 2008 of the African Union (AU) Observer

Mission to Zimbabwe,

— having regard to the resolution on the establishment of a government of national unity in Zimbabwe

adopted at the African Union Summit of 1 July 2008 in Sharm el-Sheikh,

— having regard to the Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections adopted by the Southern
African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum in 2001 and the Principles and Guide-
lines Governing Democratic Elections adopted by the SADC Summit in Mauritius in August 2004,

— having regard to the agreement of 15 September 2008 between the Zimbabwe African National
Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and the two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations, on
resolving the challenges facing Zimbabwe,

— having regard to the SADC Treaty and the Protocols thereto, including the SADC Electoral Protocol,

— having regard to the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the African Charter on Human and Peoples'

Rights and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD),

(1) Adopted by the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly on 28 November 2008 in Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea).

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A. whereas the run-up to the presidential, parliamentary (lower house) and senatorial elections in March
2008, as well as the run-off elections in June, took place in an inadmissible context of violence and
violations of the rights of the opposition perpetrated by elements in the Zimbabwean army and militias
deployed by Mugabe's party, ZANU-PF,

B. whereas the arrest, during the run-off election campaign, of Tandai Biti, Secretary-General of the opposi-
tion party, the MDC, and the attempted murder of that party's leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, who was
standing against Robert Mugabe and was forced to take refuge in a European embassy and then leave
the country, obliged Mr Tsvangirai to withdraw from the presidential run-off,

C. whereas,

in spite of the pressure and intimidation of all kinds exerted on the population, Morgan
Tsvangirai gained a large majority in the first round of the presidential elections, and whereas the MDC
also won the parliamentary (lower house) elections and the elections for speaker of parliament,

D. whereas, on the basis of the official results of the run-off elections of 27 June 2008, the incumbent

president, Robert Mugabe, was re-elected, following the withdrawal of Morgan Tsvangirai,

E. whereas a large number of African observer missions (Economic Community of West African States,
Pan-African Parliament, African Union) stated that, as a result of the violence, the election results failed
to reflect the will of the people,

F. whereas the political agreement of 15 September 2008 on the principle of forming a government of
national unity with a view to ending the crisis is a step forward, achieved through the mediation of
President Thabo Mbeki,

G. having regard to the continuing deadlock in the negotiations between the two sides on a government of

national unity,

H. whereas the disastrous conduct of these elections has exacerbated the already catastrophic humanitarian
situation of Zimbabwe's population, forcing people to move away from their homes or leave the
country,

I. whereas the country is facing a cholera outbreak, with a virtually collapsed health system and a broken
water supply; whereas life expectancy has dropped from 60 years for both sexes to 37 years for men
and 34 for women in the past decade; and whereas 1.7 million people are now living with HIV in
Zimbabwe,

J. whereas the World Food Programme (WFP) fed 2 million Zimbabweans in October, but that figure is
expected to rise to 5.1 million by early 2009, meaning that half of the country's population will soon
be aid-reliant,

K. whereas, according to UNICEF, only an estimated 40 per cent of the country's teachers are attending

lessons, with only a third of pupils reporting for classes,

L.

1.

noting with concern the regrettable denial of entry to Zimbabwe to a delegation consisting of former
US President Jimmy Carter, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and human rights activist Graça
Machel,

Firmly condemns the campaigns of violence and intimidation conducted against the population with
the aim of influencing the voting in the 2008 elections, as well as the violations of the rights of the
opposition;

2. Declares that, in the light of such flagrant violations, the Zimbabwean elections held in June 2008

cannot be deemed to have been transparent, credible and fair;

3. Welcomes the African mediation efforts led by President Thabo Mbeki, and urgently calls for increased
engagement of African countries and regional institutions such as the SADC and the AU, as well as
eminent African personalities,
in negotiating, and subsequently monitoring, a solution to the
Zimbabwean situation;

4. Confirms that a government of national unity is a solution for ending the crisis for a transitional period
permitting reform of
in the
power-sharing deal of 15 September 2008, the parties agreed to work together for a sustainable and
lasting democratic and peaceful solution to Zimbabwe's current political, economic and social crisis;

the institutions and restoration of

law; stresses that,

the rule of

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5. Urges all parties to the agreement to live up to their commitments and to engage constructively and
fully in the implementation of the agreement and show greater restraint and moderation in the negotia-
tions; stresses that all parties are equal and should refrain from taking any unilateral action in connec-
tion with the formation of a new government;

6.

Strongly appeals to the international community to ensure the rapid provision of substantial humani-
tarian aid to the people of Zimbabwe;

7. Notes the devastating impact that the political crisis is having on the people of Zimbabwe; notes that
the EU has just released EUR 10 million in aid and calls on the Zimbabwean authorities to lift all
restrictions on humanitarian aid agencies and to ensure that humanitarian aid can be delivered in
accordance with the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence;

8.

Expresses deep concern about the situation of Zimbabwean refugees in the region and deplores the acts
of violence against Zimbabwean refugees in surrounding countries; calls on the European Commission
to support the neighbouring countries with financial and material assistance programmes for the
refugees;

9.

Strongly appeals to all stakeholders and the international community to be prepared to ensure the rapid
provision of aid for the post-conflict reconstruction of Zimbabwe;

10. Deeply regrets that the Elders Humanitarian Delegation comprising former UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan, former US President Jimmy Carter and advocate for women's and children's rights Graça Machel
was denied an entry visa by Mugabe's regime, since they wished to use their influence to increase the
immediate and longer-term flow of assistance to the country to stop the terrible suffering of the people
of Zimbabwe; strongly supports the Elders' continuing efforts to ease Zimbabwe's humanitarian crisis;

11. Calls on the future government of national unity to set up a neutral and independent peace and reconci-
liation commission with a view to promoting a national healing process that will review the crimes
against humanity, torture, rape and other crimes committed in internal conflicts;

12. Believes it essential that the newly-elected parliament receive funding and support in order to reinforce

its capacity;

13. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council, the European Commission,
the Pan-African Parliament, the government and parliament of Zimbabwe, the African Union, the
SADC and the UN Secretary-General.

Port Moresby declaration

on the global food and financial crises

The ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, meeting in Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea)
25 to 28 November 2008:

from

Food price crisis

1. Calls on the EU institutions to speedily adopt and implement the recently-agreed EUR 1 billion Food
Facility proposal without corresponding cuts in bilateral aid budgets, in order to respond to urgent
needs in developing countries with substantial additional aid;