Britain still against Zimbabwe rejoining the Commonwealth

Britain is still against Zimbabwe’s rejoining of the Commonwealth arguing that Harare needs to take further steps needed on democracy, governance and human rights.

This was said on Monday by Hamish Falconer, the United Kingdom’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Responding to a question by Andrew Mitchell, Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on whether his department supports the return of Zimbabwe to full membership of the Commonwealth, Falconer said the British government has always been clear that it wants to see Zimbabwe return to the Commonwealth when the time is right. 

“We recognise there has been progress, but further steps are needed on democracy, governance and human rights,” he said. 

He, however, added that decisions on Commonwealth membership are for all member states but the UK has expressed support for a further Commonwealth assessment mission.

Zimbabwe Foreign Affairs Minister Amon MUrwira told Parliament last week that Harare had fulfilled all the steps required for the country to rejoin the Commonwealth. 

He said that countries seeking to join the Commonwealth should undertake a four-step membership process once the formal expression of interest to join is triggered.

“This entails the following: 

• One, an informal assessment undertaken by the Secretary General following an expression of interest by an aspirant country. 
• Number two, consultation by the Secretary General with member states. 
• Number three, an invitation to the interested country to make formal application. 
• Number four, a formal application presenting evidence of the functioning of democratic processes and popular support in that country for joining the Commonwealth. 

“Zimbabwe undertook all four steps following our expression of interest to re-join the Commonwealth with the exception of the Second Republic,” Murwira said.

“This included sharing the Commonwealth Secretariat progress made by Zimbabwe in implementing our reform agenda as part of Vision 2030 under His Excellency the President, Dr. E. D. Mnangagwa for a prosperous upper middle-income economy. 

“These efforts culminated in the production of the Commonwealth Secretariat of the assessment report which stated the achievements made by the country since 2017 to support our readmission into the organisation. On its part, Zimbabwe has done all what it is required to do.”

Murwira said Britain objected to Zimbabwe rejoining the Commonwealth in January and wants to do a reassessment of the country, but so far Zimbabwe has not received a formal request from the UK.

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