There is no doubt that Zimbabwe needs financial help to revive itseconomy and social services. It is also indisputable that the SouthernAfrica Development Community (SADC) is the best-positioned organizationto spearhead this effort.
An extraordinary summit of SADCleaders last month pledged to support Zimbabwe in implementing ashort-term emergency recovery plan, with promises of "budget support,lines of credit, joint ventures and toll manufacturing." But while theregional group's ambition to raise $10 billion for Zimbabwe is noble,its approach is bound to fail.
A figure like $10 billion mightnot sound like much to Western observers. But in Africa, that amountrepresents the annual budget of several of the SADC's member countries.Furthermore, with the exception of South Africa and Botswana, none ofthe SADC countries can afford to spare a penny, let alone contributetowards Zimbabwe's recovery.