UN YOU ROCK
Following Zimbabwe's election to head up the top UN environment agency this morning, their ambassador asked "what has sustainable development to do with human rights?".
A good question. If you have no idea about either. And the Mugabe regime clearly hasn't.
Sadly the question was rhetorical and in blunt defiance of the widespread criticism that followed the blatantly absurd appointment. Apparently it's Zimbabwe's turn.
The vote was tight and seems to have been an "up yours " from developing nations directed at the West.
The upshot is that the planet's health has become the latest play-thing for an institution that can't hit the headlines for any good reason.
Naturally, there's a positive. The departing chair is oil advocate Qatar. Members of Robert Mugabe's government have an EU travel ban. Maybe under Zimbabwe guidance the UN can come up with a way of reducing diplomatic carbon emissions.
2 comments:
Mugube always makes out that it is him standing up to Britain and America, and he does make political traction on this issue. It must be remembered both America and the UK supported the white minority government of Rhodesia which Mugabe fought against, so there are some old scores to settle.
On a related matter, Simon Mann the mercenary who was caught flying into Zimbawbe to collect arms for an attempted military coup in Equatorial Guinea is to be extradited to the "Black Beach" prison in Malabo which is described as a hell hole
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article1769433.ec>
Both countries have good relations and Eq Guinea supplies Zimbabwe fuel from its huge offshore reserves. They both have dictatorial and corrupt governments too.
Mugabe had a leg to stand on when he came to power. He was a poster boy for many with similar aspirations in Sth America.
How much real respect does the regime have in those parts now?
That they've voted for Zim on this is hopefully more a protest at uk/us/etc than respect for them. The flip side is of course that they're implicit in devaluing an institution that simply doesn't need this.
wasn't eric the eel from equatorial guinea?
Post a Comment