NEW YORK, July 7 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, urging greater involvement by African leaders in Zimbabwe, says events there are hurting the entire continent's credibility.
Speaking to Financial Times prior to leaving for Scotland to attend the Group of Eight summit, Annan asked African leaders to break their silence over the forced evictions from urban centers in Zimbabwe carried out by the government of President Robert Mugabe.
The secretary-general told the Times it was responsibility of Africa's leaders to "come out and protect the region."
Earlier, Olusegun Obasanjo, chairman of the African Union, refused to publicly condemn Mugabe, but offered his "good offices" in the country, the Times said.
Annan noted African governments recognize the need to improve governance and fight corruption. But he also cautioned: "What is important and what is lacking on the continent is (a willingness) to comment on wrong policies in a neighboring country."
