Zimbabwe to head UN commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)

[Matt D]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6645715.stm

Originally Posted by BBC

Zimbabwe to chair major UN body

Zimbabwe has been elected to head the UN's commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) despite strong objections from Western diplomats.

They had said Zimbabwe was unsuitable because of its human rights record and economic problems. It is suffering food shortages and rampant inflation.

But Zimbabwe has dismissed such criticism, calling it an insult.

The country was chosen by other African nations. The CSD post rotates every year between the world's regions.

(snip)

Surely it's a rather poor choice to chair a UN commission on sustainable development, given that it has an inflation rate of 2200%, 80% unemployment, food shortages, & various other serious issues (even ignoring for a moment the human rights issues).

[Paul]

To be quite honest I think it just goes to show just how gutless the UN is, allowing Zimbabwe to head any commission let alone a sustainability and development group is a joke.

[Mr_love_monkey]

It's a joke, right?

Just when I think the UN can't get any dafter

[Paul]

Originally Posted by Mr_love_monkey

It's a joke, right?

Just when I think the UN can't get any dafter

They had said Zimbabwe was unsuitable because of its human rights record and economic problems. It is suffering food shortages and rampant inflation.
But Zimbabwe has dismissed such criticism, calling it an insult.

Insult? Okaaaay

Zimbabwe's Environment Minister Francis Nheme will now become chairman of the CSD.
Mr Nheme is the subject of European Union travel ban because he is a member of President Robert Mugabe's government.
That means he cannot travel to the EU to meet ministers on commission business.

Well that makes sense, elect someone that cannot travel to a EU state.

Meanwhile, Mozambique has threatened to cut electricity to its neighbour for failing to pay its debts.
Mozambique's Cahora Bassa dam supplies Zimbabwe with 500 megawatts of power.
The BBC's Jose Tembe in Maputo says Zimbabwe has accumulated debt to the tune of $9m.

Oh yes, just right to lead a group on sustainabilty and development then.

On Wednesday, it was announced that households in Zimbabwe were to be limited to four hours' electricity a day, between 1700 and 2100 local time.

I take it he will be working part time then

[punky]

Originally Posted by Paul

To be quite honest I think it just goes to show just how gutless the UN is, allowing Zimbabwe to head any commission let alone a sustainability and development group is a joke.

Originally Posted by Paul

<snip>

[punky]

BTW, this is the same UN, who allowed Syria, amongst other like-minded countries (China, Zimbabwe, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, etc) to sit on the UN Comission For Human Rights. The same Syria that kidnapps and tortures British men. Doesn't just happen in Gitmo you know, guys. (Oh, and the British government apparently doesn't care enough to investigate but that's for another thread I guess).