Mugabe among African leaders in Malaysia for anti-poverty meet

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Zimbabwe's controversial President Robert Mugabe is among African and Southeast Asian leaders meeting in Malaysia this week aiming to draw up a plan to fight poverty and bolster economic ties.

Mugabe's presence at the gathering on the island resort of Langkawi -- which comes as his own country suffers hyper-inflation and chronic food shortages -- is already raising eyebrows.

But Malaysia's foreign minister said the meeting, which will be hosted by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, was non-political.