SA was encouraged by an improving human rights situation in Zimbabwe, a foreign affairs official said on Monday.

Foreign affairs director general Ayanda Ntsaluba said the government would continue to encourage Zimbabwe’s leaders, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe (pictured), to stick to their power sharing agreement made in February.

“We are encouraged that by all accounts the human rights situation has improved,” he said. “Instead of Zimbabwe being on a downward spiral we believe it is at the start of a recovery.”

President Jacob Zuma met with Zimbabwe’s leaders at the weekend. He attended an agricultural show where he reported to have said that he was “encouraged” by what he had seen.

Zuma said the country’s leaders had agreed that differences needed to be resolved speedily to “help restore confidence in the country and the economy”.

Ntsaluba said it was important for Mugabe and Tsvangirai to sort out their differences as they needed to encourage international investment.

“The president had the chance of listening to all parties. We are encouraged that there has been some sort of recovery in Zimbabwe. The inclusive government is still holding.”

He said there were still “issues” in Zimbabwe — about land invasions, parliamentarians being arrested and the failure to install a deputy minister of agriculture.

Some sort of progress review of the situation would be expected at a Southern African Development Community heads of state meeting in Kinshasa later this week.  — Sapa