Globetrotting Mugabe in Equatorial Guinea
Globetrotting President Robert Mugabe is in Malabo, the capital city of Equatorial Guinea on a two-day working consultative visit.
The visit comes ahead of the African Union summit scheduled for June in South Africa and will give the two leaders an opportunity to share opinions on developments in the region and other key continental issues.
Mugabe was welcomed by his Equatorial Guinea counterpart Teodore Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and members of his cabinet who also came to the airport to give the AU chairman a befitting welcome.
Mugabe immediately proceeded to inspect a guard of honour mounted in his honour.
From the airport, the two leaders held a closed door meeting at the Presidential Palace that lasted more than an hour.
Presidential spokesperson George Charamba disclosed that one of the key issues expected to take centre stage at the AU summit is Africa’s position regarding the United Nations Security Council membership.
Harare and Malabo share very cordial relations after alert Zimbabwean security officers foiled a coup attempt by mercenaries when they stopped over in Harare to procure arms.
Equatorial Guinea is providing Zimbabwe with an energy facility to get fuel and during the recently held Africa Cup of Nations tournament Zimbabwe availed security for VIPs during the continental soccer showcase.
Mugabe will be in Malabo for a two-day stop over en route to Sudan where he was invited to witness the inauguration of President Omar al Bashir who was re-elected with more than 94 percent of the vote.
The AU and the Arab League have since declared the Sudanese elections free and fair.
Meanwhile, before leaving Nigeria, the AU chairperson briefly met former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo who was the AU pointman during the Sudan elections.
