Johannesburg - Former United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan, former US president Jimmy Carter and Mozambican activist Graca Machel will visit Zimbabwe later this month to assess the humanitarian crisis in the country, it was announced Friday.

They will be visiting on behalf of The Elders, a group of leading international statesmen and women that was formed by former South African president Nelson Mandela last year to tackle some of the world's most intractable conflicts.

South African Archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu and former Irish president Mary Robinson are among some of the other members of the 11-person group.

During their two-day visit on November 22 and 23, Annan, Carter and Machel will assess the humanitarian needs of the millions of Zimbabweans affected by hyperinflation and acute food and cash shortages.

In their statement, The Elders said the trio would also examine "how to avoid further deterioration of the situation in Zimbabwe and its spill-over effects on neighbouring countries."

After Zimbabwe, they will also visit South Africa on November 24.

"Relieving the suffering of millions of people must be the priority of Zimbabwe's leaders," Annan said. "But global attention is also slipping as Zimbabwe's humanitarian crisis worsens."

"We hope that our visit will also add momentum to the global response to longer-term issues of reform and development once an inclusive government is in place and operational," he added.

While stressing the visit was not political, Annan called on Zimbabwe's parties to bring an end to the suffering of Zimbabweans by quickly forming the unity government they agreed to in principle in September.

That deal is now on the verge of collapse as Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) of prime-minister designate Morgan Tsvangirai failed to agree on the sharing of cabinet posts.

The MDC was meeting Friday to discuss whether to join Mugabe in a government he plans to establish on his own terms.

The party has vowed not to accept a junior role in a Mugabe-led power-sharing government. (dpa)