Zimbabwe to be readmitted into Commonwealth?

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By SARAH NCUBE

Published: July 3, 2009

ZIMBABWE-HARARE- Former British colonies club the Commonwealth has set up a committee to look at the possibility of readmitting Zimbabwe into the grouping. The Zimbabwe Telegraph has learnt.

Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth in a huff in 2003 after the group suspended the country after a flawed 2002 presidential poll characterised by rampant intimidation and widespread violence a thing that went on to become the mainstay of Zimbabwean politics under the government of Robert Mugabe.

The Commonwealth is eager to assist Zimbabwe for the sake of its civilians who are subjects of Mugabe’s bad policies.

The discussion, an effort to re-engage Zimbabwe on the humanitarian front, was organised by the Commonwealth Committee on Zimbabwe amid hopes of establishing a special fund to advance humanitarian assistance to Zimbabwe.
Carl Wright, chairman of Commonwealth Committee on Zimbabwe expressed that as Commonwealth they want to assist the people of Zimbabwe.

“Our aim will be to marshal the Commonwealth’s professional and other networks in support of existing aid efforts, and the medium to long-term prospects for reconstruction and development in Zimbabwe.

“We hope that the roundtable will result in practical action plans and the identification of the necessary resources to take these forward. Furthermore we hope that the issues arising out of the roundtable will be brought to the attention of Commonwealth Heads of Government when they meet in Trinidad and Tobago later this year.”

The Commonwealth committee says time is now ripe for an initiative to bring together Zimbabwe civil society and Commonwealth partners with three core aims to consult with Zimbabwe partners about their urgent needs to formulate concrete and coordinated plans for practical action and identifying resources for this work with a view to establishing a Special Commonwealth Fund for Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth in 2002 and quit the 54-nation group in December 2003 after President Thabo Mbeki failed to get the country’s suspension lifted.