Britain says Zimbabwe’s re-engagement with the international community will not be that easy

Q & A

Lord Oates Liberal Democrat- To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the government of Zimbabwe's previous breaches of domestic and international commitments, what assessment they have made of the risk of it breaching the commitments required for re-entry to the global financial system.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns Minister of State, Deputy Speaker (Lords)-Zimbabwe’s re-engagement with the International Financial Institutions will only be possible once it has demonstrated a clear commitment to economic and political reform. We, along with the wider international community, have made this clear to the Zimbabwean government.

Lord Oates Liberal Democrat– To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether ministers plan to meet Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa prior to the decision of the International Monetary Fund on whether Zimbabwe should be re-admitted to the global financial system.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns Minister of State, Deputy Speaker (Lords) -An error has been identified in the written answer given on 14 July 2016. The correct answer should have been:

British Ministers and officials have met Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa in recent months, including the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Development, my Hon Friend the Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (Nick Hurd), in May and the Minister for Africa, my Hon Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), in July. In these meetings, Ministers emphasised to Minister Chinamasa the importance of urgent economic and political reforms in Zimbabwe if there is to be further progress on re-engagement with the International Financial Institutions.

Jim Shannon Shadow DUP Spokesperson (Health), Shadow DUP Spokesperson (Transport), Shadow DUP Spokesperson (Equality)– To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Zimbabwean counterpart on (a) steps to improve democracy and (b) support for the domestic production of food in that country.

Tobias Ellwood The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs- The UK Government continues to stress the importance of political and governance reform and respect for human rights to the Government of Zimbabwe. The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) discussed these issues with Zimbabwean Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa on 5 July. He also raised the economic situation and land reform policy, which have a direct impact on Zimbabwe’s agricultural capabilities. The UK’s Livelihoods and Food Security Programme is providing over 130 000 farmers with training in the application of new agricultural technologies and management practices in crop and livestock production, including promoting the production of bio-fortified food crops. The programme is working with the private sector to offer agricultural inputs and outputs services to smallholder farmers, as well as improving agri – businesses and smallholder farmer access to finance.

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