United Nations Secretary-General meets with South Africa’s President to discuss peace in Zimbabwe

The UN’s Ban Ki-moon met with the South African President this morning in Pretoria to discuss pressing issues in Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The SG noted the great influence of South Africa throughout the continent in particular to its role in leading the G-20 summit. Urgent humanitarian matters and the overturn in leadership in Zimbabwe were at the top of the agenda as were the growing frustrations between the lack of cooperation by the Rwandan and Congolese governments on the conflict in the eastern part of Congo. Both leaders hope for a cessation of hostilities. The SG also discussed Sudan and the ICC (International Criminal Court) investigation into war crimes committed by the country’s leader Al-Bashir. The SG hoped the Sudanese government would act “responsibly”, in particular to aiding the greatly damaged civilian population.