Mr. Speaker, increasing instability is affecting wide swathes of Africa, threatening thousands of innocent civilians.
In Angola a precarious peace has been shattered and the conflict is escalating daily. Land mines are being laid, UN planes shot down, and thousands face starvation as a result of cancelled peacekeeping operations. Despite UN sanctions, UNITA rebels are arming with the proceeds of millions of dollars of illegal diamonds. The federal government must work with our partners to stop the fuelling of this conflict.
In Zimbabwe, President Mugabe has been silencing all opposition. Journalists have been jailed and tortured. Zimbabwe support for the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo seeks to sink the country. Mr. Mugabe's is also poised to threaten to privatize 530 farms, which will severely compromise the ability of that country to earn revenues.
I implore the Minister of Foreign Affairs to work within the UN to stop Mr. Mugabe from engaging in disastrous economic policies.