Harare – It is no longer a matter of if but when do Harare rejoin the Commonwealth – after Queen of the United Kingdom, Elizabeth II – the ...
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Harare – It is no longer a matter of if but when do Harare rejoin the Commonwealth – after Queen of the United Kingdom, Elizabeth II – the symbol of the association – who is also the Head of the Commonwealth said her wish in 2018 was to see the former British colony rejoining the league.
In 2003, Mugabe pulled the once promising state out of the group, citing ideological differences."Anything that you agreed to on Zimbabwe which is short of this position – no matter how sweetly worded – means Zimbabwe is still the subject of the Commonwealth. It is unacceptable. This is it. It [Zimbabwe] quits and quits it will be," Mugabe said then.
Recently, the British Express quoted the queen saying, she wished Zimbabwe rejoin the Commonwealth after a 15 year absence to cancel Harare's isolation.
“Asked by a diplomat at a party what her hopes were for this year, the Queen replied, wishing not for world peace, nor even happiness for her own family, but that Zimbabwe will rejoin the Commonwealth.”
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| Former President Robert Mugabe and Queen Elizabeth II |
Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) says it is ready to engage Zimbabwe after President Mnangagwa's rise to power.
“The EU reaffirms its availability to engage constructively with the new authorities including through a structured political dialogue, with political actors across the spectrum, and with civil society, on the basis of a mutual commitment to shared values focused on human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law. It will do so in coordination with African and international partners,” reads the EU statement.
Zimbabwe has suffered economic isolation since the turn of the millennium, after engaging on the land reform among other policies, however, the EU is willing to mend that.
“In this context, the EU will support the authorities in establishing as soon as possible a constructive re-engagement with international financial institutions based on a clear and time-bound economic and political reform programme”.
Mnangagwa has since invited UN, EU and other global observers to monitor the voting process during the forthcoming elections in 2018, which he claims will be free and fair, diverting from previous hotly contested plebiscite under the Mugabe regime.
“The upcoming electoral process will be an essential step. The EU welcomes the commitment of the authorities to hold elections in line with the Constitution, and underlines the importance that the conditions are in place to allow those elections to be peaceful, inclusive, credible and transparent.
“The EU would consider favourably electoral observation, provided that the required conditions are fulfilled and that an invitation from the Government of Zimbabwe is received,” said the council.
President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was committed to re-engaging countries with which relations had soured in the past, including Britain.
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