The UN high commissioner for human rights Navi Pillay has said western nations should lift sanctions on Zimbabwe and its President Robert Mugabe. Speaking on her first visit to the country, Ms Pillay said the sanctions are hurting the poor. She urged Zimbabwe to pass reforms to avoid violence in the next election which is expected within a year.

The European Union has already lifted some sanctions but restrictions on Mr Mugabe and his close aides remain. The president and more than 100 others are still affected by the freezing of assets and travel bans in European countries.