From Africa Recovery, Vol.16 #2-3 (September 2002), page 32

ZIMBABWE
Annan urges orderly land reform

Adding his voice to the raging controversy over land reform in Zimbabwe, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called for a phased, orderly programme. As Southern Africa faces the risk of famine, "a successful, sustainable land reform programme that will benefit all the people of Zimbabwe, especially the landless poor, is more important than ever," Mr. Annan said.

The Secretary-General spoke as he toured drought-stricken Southern Africa in August. In Zimbabwe, 6 million people, about half the population, need food aid. Poor rains are largely to blame, but domestic and external critics of President Robert Mugabe's government also say its programme to seize white-owned commercial farms without compensation and redistribute them to landless blacks has disrupted production.

Mr. Annan noted that there would be no lasting solution to the problems in Zimbabwe unless land reform is "run according to the law, allows for proper training and adequate support to new small farmers, and compensation to displaced farm workers and commercial farmers."

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