PRESIDENT MUGABE . . . formed a coalition government with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in February 2009

BULAWAYO – Zimbabwe’s unity government has made reasonable progress restoring political, social and economic stability but resistance by hardliner backers of President Robert Mugabe could derail the administration to plunge the country back into crisis, an international political think-thank has said.

In a report released Wednesday the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) said the Southern African Development Community (SADC) – guarantor of the Zimbabwe power-sharing agreement – must press the Harare parties particularly Mugabe to see the promising but troubled transition through to a successful conclusion.

“While the primary tasks ahead rest with Zimbabweans, the SADC must take seriously its guarantor role . . . must convey the message that the region will abide no alternative to the GPA (global political agreement or power sharing agreement),” said the ICG report.

The report titled “Zimbabwe: Political and Security Challenges to the Transition” calls on the broader international community particularly the United States, Britain, European Union and China to support and complement SADC’s efforts through careful calibration of trade, aid, and investment to encourage progress.

The ICG is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation covering over 50 crisis-affected countries and territories across four continents, working through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to prevent and resolve deadly conflict.

The group’s report significantly differed with calls by South African President and SADC’s mediator in Zimbabwe, Jacob Zuma, on Western nations to lift visa and financial sanctions imposed on Mugabe and his top allies with the report, saying America and the EU must “maintain targeted sanctions on those thwarting the transition”.

Mugabe and former opposition foes Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara formed a coalition government in February 2009 to end a political crisis following an inconclusive election the previous year.

Tsvangirai and Mutambara became Prime Minister and Deputy Premier respectively in the unity government that has won plaudits for ending widespread repression and stabilising the economy but has scored poorly on political and democratic reforms.

In addition critics say incessant bickering between Mugabe and Tsvangirai over how to share executive power as well as the coalition government’s inability to secure direct financial support from Western nations are holding back the administration’s efforts to rebuild the economy and could ultimately render it ineffective.

Zuma who is currently visiting the UK has said he will press Prime Minister Gordon Brown on the need for Western powers to lift sanctions on Mugabe and his allies saying this would give impetus to the Zimbabwe transition to move forward.

But southern Africa’s most powerful leader who is expected to raise the sanctions issue during talks with Brown today is unlikely to make much progress with the UK Premier expected to stick by the EU decision last month to scrap sanctions on Zimbabwe government-owned firms while maintaining them on Mugabe and his allies.