The main regional bloc in southern Africa and the African Union declined to rubber stamp the elections and cast doubt on a vote that led to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s re-election.
As President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia prepares to host African leaders at a summit, a collapsed grain deal and the uncertain fate of Wagner mercenaries have cast a shadow.
The strategically important country in northeastern Africa has been consumed by turmoil after overthrowing a dictator in 2019, with plans for a civilian-led democracy now in shambles.