Britain still to decide whether Zimbabwe can rejoin the Commonwealth or not

Britain is still to decide whether Zimbabwe can rejoin the Commonwealth or not but the decision is not its alone but that of all Commonwealth members.

Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon told the House of Lords yesterday that the United Kingdom will review all final election observation reports, as well as the Secretary-General’s report on membership readiness, before making any further assessment of Zimbabwe’s readiness for readmission to the Commonwealth.

He had been asked by Baroness Kate Hoey what consideration the UK government had given to any proposals for Zimbabwe to be readmitted as a member of the Commonwealth.

Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth in 2003 after being suspended for human rights violations following its land reform programme.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government summit will be held in Samoa in October this year.

The Commonwealth has 56 members, 21 of them from Africa.

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