British Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson has intimated that his government is ready to support Zimbabwe on its path to reform.
Johnson, who met his Zimbabwean counterpart, Sibusiso Moyo on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London, Friday afternoon, said the Mnangagwa administration has made significant progress since it took power in November last year.
“President Mnangagwa has been in power for 150 days and while Zimbabwe has made impressive progress, there’s still much to do.
“That’s why Britain, the Commonwealth and the wider international community will do everything it can in supporting Zimbabwe on its path of reform,” said Johnson.
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He added that the forthcoming elections will be indicative of the direction Zimbabwe will take urging the government to deliver a free and fair plebiscite as promised by President Mnangagwa.
“July’s election will be a bellwether for the direction of a new Zimbabwe.
“The Zimbabwe Government must deliver the free and fair elections the people of Zimbabwe deserve and which it has promised.
“The UK stands ready in friendship to support a Zimbabwe that fully embraces the rule of law, human rights and economic reform,” added Johnson.
He further noted that United Kingdom will strongly support Zimbabwe’s readmission into the Commonwealth with the onus being on Harare to formally apply to the Commonwealth Secretariat.
“There is a great deal of interest in Zimbabwe applying to rejoin the Commonwealth after their election in July.
“Applying is a matter for the Zimbabwean people to decide. Zimbabwe would have to formally apply to the Commonwealth Secretariat and the final decision would then be for all Commonwealth members. However, the UK would strongly support Zimbabwe’s re-entry and a new Zimbabwe that is committed to political and economic reform that works for all its people,” said Johnson.
