Can you believe this? Zimbabwe is chosen to chair UN environment body
Zimbabwe has been elected as head of the Commission on Sustainable Development, the main UN inter-governmental body on the environment, despite objections from western nations. The 53-nation commission has voted Zimbabwe's Environment and Tourism Minister, Francis Nheme, as chairman.
The post rotates among regions, and Africa nominated Mr Nheme as chairman of the commission. The chairmanship was previously held by oil-producer Qatar. Both the US and the EU have imposed targeted sanctions against Zimbabwe for human rights abuses under the regime of President Robert Mugabe.
Defending the decision, Zimbabwe's UN ambassador Boniface Chidyausiku asked the BBC: "What has sustainable development to do with human rights?"
Zimbabwe is suffering inflation at 2,000 per cent, and Mr Mugabe, the country's sole ruler since independence, denies mismanaging the economy and blames Western sanctions for the state of Zimbabwe's economy.
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