UN urges Zimbabwe to remove food aid

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon is calling for the Zimbabwean government to lift restrictions on aid deliveries in a bid to stop a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.



He said the curbs imposed on aid agencies in June means that more than 80 percent of 1.5 million people in need had not received help.



Ban Ki Moon’s comments follow warnings by Botswana that it would boycott this weekend\'s regional summit, if a power-sharing deal is not reached to end the post-poll crisis.



South African President Thabo Mbeki, who will host the summit of the Southern African Development Community, has been mediating in the talks involving President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.



A breakaway faction of the Movement for Democratic Change led by Arthur Mutambara is also said to be involved in the talks.