The friendlessness of Robert Mugabe
Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth is good news for Africa
IT WAS only a symbolic punishment, but symbols matter. On March 19th, the leaders of South Africa, Nigeria and Australia agreed, unexpectedly, to suspend Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth, a club composed largely of Britain's ex-colonies. Suspension carries few direct, practical consequences. It does not trigger economic sanctions, and it could even discourage some, such as the European Union, from tightening the mild sanctions currently in place. President Robert Mugabe's government quickly dismissed the decision as unimportant.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “The friendlessness of Robert Mugabe”
From the March 23rd 2002 edition
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