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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Leaders meet to determine Commonwealth action on Zimbabwe

15 March 2002

The three Heads of Government mandated to determine appropriate Commonwealth action on Zimbabwe will meet in London on Tuesday 19 March, Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon announced today.

Prime Minister John Howard of Australia (in the Chair), President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa were charged by the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to determine appropriate Commonwealth action on Zimbabwe, in close consultation with the Secretary-General. They are to take into account the report of the Commonwealth Observer Group to the Presidential Election in Zimbabwe.

The Commonwealth Observer Group, chaired by former Nigerian Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has been in Zimbabwe since 11 February and released its preliminary report on Thursday 14 March. Its final report will be submitted to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will transmit it to the three Heads of Government.

In the event that the Observer Group's final report is adverse, the possible action the three Heads of Government may determine ranges from collective disapproval to suspension, in accordance with the Harare Commonwealth Declaration and the Millbrook Commonwealth Action Programme.

Note to editors:
Prime Minister Howard and Presidents Obasanjo and Mbeki are respectively the present, the next and the previous Chairpersons-in-Office of the Commonwealth. By tradition, the responsibilities of the Chairperson-in-Office rest with the leader of the country hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

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