Zimbabwe tops agenda of Southern Africa summit

Southern African leaders meeting this week were likely to be preoccupied with the economic and political crises in Zimbabwe that are sending thousands of refugees into neighbouring South Africa, Botswana and Zambia.

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa once likened the situation in Zimbabwe to a “sinking Titanic”. To many observers, the comment signalled a willingness to put aside the deference that many regional leaders have shown Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.