Southern African leaders opened an annual summit on Saturday endorsing disputed elections in Zimbabwe that extended President Robert Mugabe's 33-year rule by another five years. "Congratulations to comrade Robert Mugabe for conducting peaceful elections," said the incoming head of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), President Joyce Banda of Malawi.
"We wish to offer you continued support as a member of the family," Banda said, to wild cheers from the audience at the start of the 15-nation summit.
A smiling Mugabe acknowledged the endorsement with his traditional clenched-fist salute.
Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC party said on Friday he had withdrawn a legal challenge to the elections, claiming the courts would not be fair.
This removed the last hurdle to 89-year-old leader Mugabe's inauguration for a seventh term.
The SADC observer mission for the 31 July elections judged the vote was free, but have not yet commented on its fairness.
The SADC will publish its report on Zimbabwe's polls during this weekend's summit, according to President Jacob Zuma.
Banda took over the rotational one-year chairmanship of the SADC from Mozambican leader Armando Guebuza, becoming the first woman to head the bloc since its inception 33 years ago.
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