Zimbabwe thumped Canada, West to become chair of CSD- Wikileaks

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 16^th session of the CSD.

The chair of the CSD is done by rotation and the 16^th 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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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

(40 VIEWS)