Livingstone, Zambia, March 27(NNN-ZANIS) Visiting Danish Minister for Development Co-operation Ulla Toernaes has called on African leaders to speak out and condemn attacks on opposition leaders in Zimbabwe.
Toernaes, who described her meeting here with Zimbabwean civil society groups as fruitful, told ZANIS that African leaders were not helping what she called deteriorating political conditions in
Zimbabwe by choosing to remain mute.
She said Zimbabwe’s political instability had led to the closure of the Danish Embassy in Zimbabwe in 2002.
However, Toernaes said her government is working closely with non-governmental organizations I(NGOs) in Zimbabwe in the provision of humanitarian aid.
“The Danish government is not in favour of Mugabe’s government and its attacks on opposition leaders but it will continue speaking out, supporting the people, and putting pressure on African leaders to help liberate Zimbabweans from Mugabe’s dictatorial rule,� she said.
On the closed door meeting with Zimbabwe’s civil society groups, Toernaes said she decided to meet the groups from Zimbabwe to discuss the present and future political situation of Zimbabwe.
She had visited Livingstone to acquaint herself with various Denmark-funded development projects in this town near the Victoria Falls.