Hon Speaker, South Africa's approach to the political and economic challenges facing Zimbabwe is premised on the sovereign right of the people of Zimbabwe to determine their own future. Its approach is guided by the common values and objectives of the Southern African Development Community, to which both countries belong.
Our response needs to be located within the positions adopted by multilateral institutions such as SADC and the African Union. As is commonly known, SADC has been engaged with the parties in Zimbabwe in pursuit of a solution. Under the auspices of SADC, the main political parties to the political dialogue concluded and signed the Global Political Agreement which in turn formed the basis for the formation of the inclusive government in Zimbabwe. As part of SADC, we have consistently worked towards ensuring that all of the terms and conditions of the Global Political Agreement, GPA, are implemented by all parties.
As the chairperson of SADC, from August 2008 to September 2009, South Africa played a central role in facilitating the current agreement. There have been some notable achievements since the inception of the agreement, including the establishment of an inclusive government, an improved political environment and progress towards economic recovery. Where obstacles have been identified, we have wasted no time in interacting with all role-players, particularly the Zimbabwean protagonists, to impress upon them, both publicly and in private discussions, to remain true to the commitments contained in the GPA.
To this end, South Africa participated in the Summit of the Troika of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation, which met in Mozambique on 5 November 2009. The summit decided that the three political parties, signatories to the GPA, should engage in dialogue with immediate effect, within 15 days and not beyond 30 days. This dialogue should include all the outstanding issues emanating from the implementation of the GPA and SADC communiqu of 27 January 2009.
The summit confirmed South Africa as the facilitator on behalf of SADC and charged it to remain seized with the developments on the implementation of the GPA. We are required to evaluate progress and to report back to the Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation. South Africa will, therefore, be engaging with the parties in Zimbabwe, in the coming days and weeks, to assist them to resolve all outstanding matters within the deadlines to which they have all agreed.
The difficulties experienced in fully implementing the GPA should not cause us to abandon this agreement, as some have proposed. The progress that has been made should, instead, encourage us to work harder to resolve the few outstanding issues. The contents of the document referred to in paragraph two of the question are being studied and will be accorded the necessary consideration.
It is, nevertheless, important to reiterate the point of principle, that the people of Zimbabwe have a sovereign right to determine their own future. Our role, as South Africa and the broader international community, is to provide whatever assistance we can to ensure the resolution of the challenges they face. South Africa is fully supportive of the Global Political Agreement and is committed to the decisions that SADC has taken on this matter. I thank you.