President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has heralded talks with the opposition as the “dawn of a new era”, BBC online reports Tuesday.
Negotiations have continued for six months between Mr Mugabes Zanu-PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The talks have been conducted in conditions of secrecy but a surprising degree of consensus now appears to be emerging.
In his annual state of the nation address to parliament in the capital, Harare, Mr Mugabe thanked South Africas Thabo Mbeki for mediating. With presidential and parliamentary elections expected in March 2008, Mr Mugabe said Zimbabwe would invite “friendly and objective” members of the international community to observe the polls.
While observers note Zimbabes chronic shortages of basic goods and worsening power and water outages, Mr Mugabe told parliament that the southern African country continued to defy predictions of economic collapse and social upheaval.
Zimbabwes official inflation is given at around 8.000 per cent – the highest in the world. Last week, the countrys chief statistician said there were no longer enough goods in the shops for him to work out the inflation rate.
Zimbabwean state airline doubled its fares Monday and the cost of a new Zimbabwe passport went up thirty fold. Spiraling prices also saw restaurant and bar prices double over the weekend, and prices were sometimes raised during a restaurant meal.
