KINSHASA, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Southern African heads of state called on the international community to end sanctions on Zimbabwe, ending a regional summit meeting on Tuesday with a statement many had expected. Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and long-time foe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai formed a power-sharing government in February as part of a deal backed by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to end a political crisis that followed disputed polls last year. But the accord is beset with problems. "The summit noted the progress made in the implementation of the global political agreement and called on the international community to remove all form of sanctions against Zimbabwe," the SADC said in its final communique after a meeting in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. "Considering the positive evolution of the situation, considering the progress that has been made, we believe it is now high time that the sanctions are lifted," Congolese President Jospeh Kabila said. Kabila, who took over as chairman of SADC, said if sanctions were not lifted, they would become an impediment to putting the political agreement into practice. South African President Jacob Zuma had kicked off the meeting on Monday by asking Zimbabwe's leaders to end a row over a power-sharing pact that is holding up vital foreign aid to its battered economy. Earlier, Congo said it was confident the meeting would culminate in a call for an end to the sanctions, and would urge South Africa to plead Harare's cause within the Group of 20 rich and developing nations. (Reporting by Joe Bavier; Writing by Daniel Magnowski; Editing by Jon Hemming)
Workers stand next to a NuPlanet's mini hydro plant in Bethlehem September 2, 2009. South Africa has scope to build mini hydro plants to help power some communities but the potential ...
