BAN WELCOMES AGREEMENT TO RESOLVE POLITICAL CRISIS IN MADAGASCAR

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the power-sharing agreement reached in Madagascar and urged all sides to work together to ensure that a new government of national unity is quickly installed and a process leading to credible elections can be established.

Mr. Ban "congratulates the four leaders – Andry Rajoelina, Marc Ravalomanana, Didier Ratsiraka and Albert Zafy – for committing to a peaceful transition under a government of national unity," according to a statement issued by his spokesperson.

The statement follows the deal reached yesterday during talks in Maputo, Mozambique, that were mediated by that country's former president Joaquim Chissano and a joint team comprising the United Nations, the African Union (AU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the International Organization of the Francophonie.

Mr. Ban urged the leaders in the Indian Ocean country to agree quickly on the composition of the government of national unity "and on the establishment of the institutions of the transition leading to credible elections and the restoration of democracy and the rule of law."

The Secretary-General thanked Mr. Chissano and the other mediators for their efforts and joined them in calling on "all political actors in Madagascar to build on the Maputo consensus and to work for the prompt implementation of the agreements."

Since the start of the year Madagascar has been engulfed by political tensions, which have led to widespread violence and killings and numerous politically motivated arrests.

Mr. Ravalomanana resigned as president in early March amid a dispute with Mr. Rajoelina, the mayor of the capital, Antananarivo, and now the leader of the country.
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World Bank To Give Zimbabwe $22 Million Grant.

"The World Bank will soon make its first grant to Zimbabwe since the country's politicians agreed to a power-sharing deal, but said on Monday it would provide loans only after arrears were cleared. World Bank Regional Executive Director Toga Gayewea McIntosh said the $22 million grant should be available in the next few weeks and that small grants would be offered for now...." [Reuters (5/18)/Factiva]

AFP adds that "...McIntosh said the Bank would be prepared to discuss a more 'substantial amount of money' if Zimbabwe made progress toward clearing its arrears. 'The first task is to see how Zimbabwe can get on with debt reduction,' he said.... Zimbabwe owes the World Bank and the African Development Bank $1.4 billion, the Paris Club $3 billion, while external debt is currently $5 billion, according to Finance Minister Tendai Biti.... Biti said technical assistance from the Bank would help Zimbabwe repair its crumbling infrastructure...." [Agence France Presse (5/18)/Factiva]