UN Security Council briefed on worsening humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe

By Violet Gonda

19 December 2005

Jan Egeland, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, told the UN Security Council Monday that the situation in Southern Africa, particularly in Zimbabwe and Malawi would deteriorate in 2006 unless actions are taken to meet immediate needs to reverse the decline in key sectors.

Jan Egeland urged the Security Council and other humanitarian organisations to mobilize, on a large- scale, humanitarian assistance to protect those affected. He said the massive urban eviction campaign of hundreds of thousands of people by the Zimbabwe government was “the worst possible action, at the worst possible time”.

Egeland urged the Mugabe regime to stop further evictions and be more flexible in allowing shelter and other programmes for those affected.

Making reference to his recent trip to Zimbabwe, he said more than three million people – almost one third of the population – will receive food through WFP in January and more will receive assistance by April. He said although it was raining when he left Zimbabwe, “this coming year’s harvest would be poor because of a lack of skilled agricultural labour force, counterproductive agricultural policies and practices, and a lack of inputs such as fertilizer, seeds and tools.”

In sharp contrast to Mugabe’s personal attacks on the humanitarian envoy where he accused him of being "a liar" for saying humanitarian conditions in Zimbabwe are nearing meltdown, Egeland’s report called for all parties to understand the importance of neutral and impartial humanitarian assistance

He urged g overnments in the region and Africa at large to engage more proactively with Zimbabwe to find constructive solutions. “There is no substitute for engagement and dialogue at all levels in order to address the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe.”