AMERICA’S ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols, pictured, urged the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) to be more proactive in helping resolve the challenges faced by the country.
The regional bloc should assist in “promoting national dialogue,” Nichols said in an interview on Friday with Johannesburg-based broadcaster eNCA.
“The country is facing yet another drought and food insecurity problems,” Nichols said. “Sadc can play a vital role in supporting that effort.”
Tensions between the two countries have been on the rise since June, after the southern African nation was named as one of the “foreign adversaries” exploiting nationwide protests in the US over the killing of George Floyd.
Zimbabwe authorities have accused the US of meddling in its internal affairs and fuelling instability.
In July, Patrick Chinamasa, the acting spokesperson of the ruling Zanu PF party, called Nichols “a thug”.
The Foreign Affairs ministry rebuked Nichols this week for engaging in “megaphone diplomacy” by making disparaging public comments and attacks on the government, which it said were in violation of the rules of diplomatic relations.
Regional powerhouse, South Africa, will send a delegation from its ruling African National Congress party, to meet with Zanu PF officials and other political stakeholders in the country to discuss its problems.
“The meeting, which will be held soon, is part of the usual dialogue that we have with ANC,” state media cited Obert Mpofu, Zanu PF’s secretary for administration, as saying.
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