Robert Mugabe has been sworn in for a sixth term as Zimbabwe's president, hours after he was declared the winner of the country's widely-condemned election.
Dignitaries gathered Sunday as Mugabe swore to uphold the country's laws.
Human rights groups say opposition supporters were the target of state-sponsored intimidation and violence, leaving more than 80 dead and forcing 200,000 to flee their himes.
Opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew from the race last week because of the violence, but his name was still on the ballet.
Sanctions or negotiations?
World leaders are condemning Friday's one-candidate presidential runoff as a shame but there is growing debate over how to best respond to Mugabe's regime.
On Friday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Canada was prepared to announce sanctions against the African nation.
The U.S. has also warned that they will bring the issue of sanctions up before the UN Security Council.
Anthony Salloum of the Rideau Institute told Â鶹´«Ã½net that it is important that sanctions are targeted at the political elites, and not affect those most in need.
He said that South Africa will have a critical role to play in how the international community responds to Zimbabwe.
"We need a permanent political solution," he said. "In order to achieve that solution you have to engage Mr. Mugabe's neighbours."
But, on Saturday, a growing chorus of African officials said sanctions against Zimbabwe will not work.
Instead, the officials say the world should focus on establishing a power sharing deal.
"Both the opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and any African leaders who are increasingly condemning the fact that the vote took place yesterday... made it very clear that there needs to be an African solution to Zimbabwe," Carelton University's Blair Rutherford told Â鶹´«Ã½net on Saturday.
Rutherford said it would still be a good idea for Canada to take on a lead role in helping to resolve the situation.
"Unlike the United States and Britain, Canada is less tainted with what could be called an imperialist stain and (Canada has) a strong history of solidarity in the region which we could draw upon," he said from Ottawa.
"At the same time, I think Canada needs to recognize... that we need to work with our African allies in the spirit of solidarity and not in the spirit of dictating to Zimbabwe."
On Monday, an African Union summit begins in Egypt and the situation in Zimbabwe is expected to be high on the agenda.
Rutherford said Mugabe is more likely to listen to the AU than western leaders.
"They have more influence than Western nations because Mugabe has been able to be buoyed somewhat by the fact that he has been supported by other African leaders in the face of condemnation from outside Africa," he said.
"Now, with growing calls from within Africa... criticizing Mugabe, it's going to be more difficult for him to justify himself."
With files from The Associated Press
