HARARE , Zimbabwe ( CNN ) -- Talks among regional African leaders failed Monday to resolve a long-standing power-sharing dispute between embattled Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai . South African former president Thabo Mbeki is shown at talks Monday in Harare . After the meeting a visibly angry Mugabe said talks faltered after Tsvangirai , head of the Movement for Democratic Change ( MDC ) , presented proposals which differed from recommendations by the 15-nation Southern African Development Community ( SADC ) . `` The talks did not go very well . ... MDC have a proposal which is in conflict with the SADC and we opposed it and then the talks broke down , '' Mugabe said . `` We will continue with discussions here at home . We shall continue to exchange ideas and see where the differences are with the SADC proposal . '' The meeting had drawn the leaders of Mozambique and South Africa , as well as former South African President Thabo Mbeki . In light of the continued stalemate , SADC executive secretary Tomaz Salamao told journalists that South African leader Kgalema Motlanthe , who is leading the SADC , had called for a summit on January 26 . The meeting will be held in Botswana or South Africa . Tsvangirai blamed Mugabe for the failure of the talks . `` For us as the MDC this is probably the darkest day of our lives , '' Tsvangirai told reporters as he left the hotel where the 12-hour-long meeting took place . `` I am sure the whole nation is waiting anxiously for the resolution of this crisis . We are committed to this deal but subject to ( ruling party ) ZANU-PF conceding on these issues . '' Mugabe told the state media that Monday 's meeting would be the final one , and that he would form a government without the opposition if no agreement was reached . The MDC has not been able to settle with Mugabe since signing a power sharing deal in September . Tsvangirai accuses Mugabe of keeping the most powerful portfolios in the government for his party . The ministries under contention include home affairs , finance , foreign affairs , local government , information and defense . Both Tsvangirai and Mugabe , along with Arthur Mutambara of a small faction of the MDC , are expected to attend next week 's summit , Salamao said . The power-sharing deal is expected to keep Zimbabwe 's melting economy from a total collapse . Zimbabwe is experiencing its worst economic and humanitarian crisis , with the highest inflation in the world officially at 231 million percent as of July 2008 . Analysts say the inflation is thriving because of an acute shortage of all essentials ranging from fuel , electricity , cash and food . The United Nations estimates that about 5 million people in Zimbabwe need urgent food aid . A cholera epidemic has claimed more than 2,200 lives since its outbreak in August . The ravaging cholera has been made worse by a four-months-long industrial action by doctors and nurses demanding higher pay .
NEW : Talks collapse between President Robert Mugabe , opposition `` Darkest day of our lives , '' says MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai . The Zimbabwean president has been in power for 27 years and is the country's longest-serving leader. Once-prosperous nation facing its worst economic and humanitarian crisis .