22 Feb 2009

UN team in Zimbabwe

11:50 am on 22 February 2009

A UN humanitarian team is in Zimbabwe to find ways of curbing a cholera epidemic and the food crisis.

The mission arrived on Saturday, led by Catherine Bragg, the UN assistant secretary general for humanitarian affairs.

The other four members of the team are from the World Health Organisation, World Food Programme and the UN Children's Fund.

During their five-day visit, they will meet President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and will visit humanitarian projects in Zimbabwe, mostly in the capital, Harare.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon said earlier this month that Mr Mugabe had agreed to allow the team to visit Zimbabwe.

According to UN figures, cholera has killed more than 3,759 people in Zimbabwe and seven million people need emergency food aid.