Zimbabwe thumped Canada and the West to win chairmanship of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development in May 2007. According to a cable just released by Wikileaks, Canada had vowed to lobby against Zimbabwe’s election even going to the extent to trying to persuade African countries to set aside their claim to the chair for the 16th session of the CSD.
The chair of the CSD is done by rotation and the 16th session was Africa’s turn.
The brief cable does not say why Canada was so opposed to Zimbabwe, but at the time Zimbabwe was going through one of its worst economic crises and was not even able to feed its people.
The cable was dispatched on 2 May 2007, nine days before Zimbabwe was elected by secret ballot. It won by 26 to 21 with then Environment and Tourism Minister Francis Nhema assuming the post.
The European Union and the United states voted against Zimbabwe.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 07OTTAWA799, CANADA: Views on Zimbabwe bid for CSD Chairmanship
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Reference ID |
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Released |
Classification |
Origin |
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VZCZCXRO3694
RR RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #0799 1222012
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 022012Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5541
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0297
RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS OTTAWA 000799
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR IO/EDA, WHA/CAN, AF, OES
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV UNCSD AORC PREL ZI CA
SUBJECT: CANADA: Views on Zimbabwe bid for CSD Chairmanship
Ref: State 58046
Emboff delivered demarche to Deborah Price, Special Advisor in the
UN and Commonwealth Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs
and International Trade (DFAIT). Price reaffirmed Canada’s
opposition to Zimbabwean bid for the Chairmanship of the 16th
Session of the CSD and noted that Canada’s Foreign Minister has just
approved a series of demarches expressing their concern which will
be delivered in various capitals over the next few days. Price
mentioned that Canada hopes to build a consensus among African
countries to set aside their claim on the Chair for the 16th session
of the CSD. Should Canada not be successful in gaining that
consensus Canada will vote against the Zimbabwean candidacy.
Wilkins
(23 VIEWS)
