Q+A: What is the world doing about Zimbabwe?

LONDON (Reuters) - The African Union has rejected tougher steps against Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe despite demands from Western leaders and some African statesmen that he quit over the growing humanitarian crisis.

Below are answers to some questions on diplomacy over Zimbabwe:

Why don't African countries do more?

Zimbabwe's neighbors are divided over the approach to take, but Mugabe is still seen by many as a hero for the role he played in liberating his country from white minority rule.

Some also favor dialogue as a more traditionally African approach to solving problems and resist the idea of foreign interference, particularly by former colonial powers.

African leaders have stressed the importance of dialogue between Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who are deadlocked over a power-sharing agreement brokered by former South African President Thabo Mbeki in September.

The agreement has been hailed by supporters as a triumph for African diplomacy in the face of calls for tougher action from Western countries that also strongly opposed Mugabe's seizure of white-owned farms to give to black Zimbabweans.

Non-interference in the affairs of neighboring countries, no matter how dire their internal problems, was long a principle of the Organization of African Unity, which preceded the African Union.

Some African leaders cannot boast of having much better democratic credentials than Mugabe. Forcing Mugabe from power over elections like Zimbabwe's widely condemned ballots earlier this year could set an unwelcome precedent.

What are the divisions in Africa?

Botswana has taken a much tougher stand than most of Zimbabwe's neighbors and its foreign minister has said Mugabe should be forced out. Zambia has also been critical of Mugabe. But their influence is relatively limited.

Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, a former opposition leader who says he was cheated of victory in a presidential election a year ago, has become one of the most outspoken leaders in his criticism of Mugabe.

Countries in west and east Africa, further from Zimbabwe, tend to take a tougher stand. Some fear that Zimbabwe's problems ruin the image of the continent and will discourage investors.

Some African statesmen, including Nobel peace laureate and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have been harsh in their condemnation. Former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, a Ghanaian, is another member of a global group known as The Elders that has described its "bitter disappointment at the failure of the regime."

What about South Africa?

As the continent's biggest power and a neighbor, South Africa is in a position to do more than any other country.

There is also pressure to act because of the millions of Zimbabweans who have fled over the border in search of jobs, now joined by hundreds seeking treatment for cholera and bringing the highly infectious disease with them.

South African unions, with a strong voice in the ruling African National Congress, are also opposed to Mugabe and have close links to Tsvangirai's opposition.

After Mbeki was forced from power by the ANC in September, the South African government has taken a slightly tougher stand -- withholding some aid symbolically.

But ANC leader Jacob Zuma, widely tipped to be elected president next year, has made clear his support for Mbeki's continued mediation efforts and dialogue between Zimbabwe's rivals.

What about the rest of the world?

Western countries such as the United States and former colonial power Britain have been raising the volume and demanding that Mugabe step down since the cholera epidemic took Zimbabwe's humanitarian crisis to a new level.

But their voices count for little in Zimbabwe.

They make clear they want to see African states take the lead and are unlikely to consider intervention by force themselves.

Attempts by Western countries to get U.N. sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe were also blocked by China and Russia, its friends on the Security Council.

The measures so far imposed by Western countries themselves -- visa bans and asset freezes -- have had little impact on the political situation but are cited by Mugabe's government as the reasons for Zimbabwe's economic collapse.

Western critics blame Mugabe's policies.

Despite China's diplomatic opposition to sanctions, it has done little concrete to support Mugabe. In a sign of a possible toughening in the stand of Mugabe's strongest ally outside Africa, it has stressed the need for a unity government. (Editing by Tim Pearce)