USA Africa Dialogue Series - If This True, Then Mugabe Willl Lose The Few Remaining Supporters He Has

UN probes Zim-Ivory Coast arms trade claims

Written by SW Radio Africa

Saturday, 05 February 2011 12:49

The United Nations (UN) is said to be investigating claims that Zimbabwe has sent weapons to the Ivory Coast, a move that analysts fear is a warning sign of renewed civil war there. The UK Sunday Times reported last month that the Zimbabwe government transferred arms to the Ivory Coast's decade long ruler Laurent Gbagbo's administration. The transfer was allegedly facilitated by the state-owned Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI), and dispatched with Robert Mugabe's blessing. The newspaper quoted high ranking intelligence sources who said the weapons deal was part of an arms-for-oil exchange agreement with the Gbagbo regime. Gbagbo is facing international condemnation for refusing to hand over power to his political rival, Alassane Ouattara, despite losing elections last November. In a move that has been compared to Mugabe's grip on power in Zimbabwe, Gbagbo has re-installed himself as the country's President, resulting in widespread violence across the country. The African Union (AU) is now trying to negotiate some kind of settlement to end the political crisis there, after last year publicly announcing its support for Ouattara. This support has been echoed by the West African leadership bloc, ECOWAS, and the United Nations (UN), leaving Gbagbo and his unlawful administration isolated. Only one world 'leader' has shown his support for Gbagbo, and that has been Robert Mugabe. He was the first President to public congratulate Gbagbo's election win, and last month an envoy from the Ivory Coast traveled to Zimbabwe, trying to garner more public support from Mugabe. The allegations then that Mugabe has sent arms to his fellow despot in the Ivory Coast, have therefore come has no surprise to many observers. Guy Lamb, a senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa, told SW Radio Africa last Thursday that it wouldn't be surprising if the allegations turned out to be true. He explained that Zimbabwe already has a murky history with regards to illegal arms trading. "Zimbabwe is under an EU arms embargo because certain government members and the ZDI have been implicated in supplying arms to rebel movements and mercenaries," Lamb explained.