Zimbabwe: Economy Biggest Challenge At Talks

Posted to the web 25 July 2008 Paul Nyakazeya PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe and leaders of the two MDC formations, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) setting the agenda for full-scale talks to resolve the country's economic and political problems. The stiffest challenge for any government that emerges from the talks is achieving the main objective of "restorating of economic stability and growth" in an economy which has shrunk by 60% within a decade. The MoU states that the talks should be completed within two weeks from the date of signing. The talks are largely expected to come up with a roadmap that would address the economic problems that the country has been facing since 1998. The MDC will come in to a government which is virtually broke and heavily indebted with a... [read full story]