UNITED NATIONS envoy Haile Menkerios flew back to South Africa Tuesday to monitor the South African-mediated talks on resolving Zimbabwe's political crisis in a move seen by many at the final step in the talks.
UN spokeswoman Michele Montas told a press briefing that Menkerios, a UN assistant secretary general for political affairs, was first heading to Pretoria for consultations on the mediation process but also planned to visit President Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe before returning to New York this weekend.
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Menkerios is serving as the UN high-level representative and leader of the "reference group" – which was formed to complement the mediation efforts of President Thabo Mbeki.
The reference group also includes African Union representatives and a security panel of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc). The group provides regular progress updates to respective bodies and was formed after insistence by the MDC to widen the mediation team.
Menkeiros draws his mandate from the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who last month welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by the three main political parties paving the way for talks to end instability in the country.
“The Secretary-General welcomes the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the parties in Zimbabwe, which provides a framework for formal talks to end the political crisis in the country,” according to a statement issued by his spokesperson last month.
