Proposed electoral reforms could win Zimbabwe qualified support at an African summit next week, but analysts say tough security and media laws might leave President Robert Mugabe under pressure.
The 13-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) holds its annual summit in Mauritius, where officials say it will focus on adopting common electoral rules in a region where Zimbabwe's political crisis dominates the headlines.
While the SADC meeting is also expected to address issues ranging from the region's HIV/AIDS disaster to Africa's response to Sudan's Darfur crisis, analysts say Zimbabwe will likely top the agenda as the 80-year-old Mugabe gathers with his regional counterparts for talks beginning Monday to plot the way forward.
A SADC vote of confidence in Mauritius would be a boost for Mugabe, who suffered an embarrassing setback at this year's annual African Union summit when a report condemning his human rights record was unofficially circulated.