Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Donors pledge US$600 million to Zim

Donors pledge US$600 million to Zim
Our reporter/Sources
Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:46:00 +0000

Former SAfrica President Thabo Mbeki (l) earlier this year negotiated a 3 billion Rand aid package for Zimbabwe which was distributed through Sadc.

THE international donor community has pledged to assist the Government with US$600 million over the next six months to enable it to pay civil servants' salaries as well as address other urgent needs, the Zimbabwe Guardian has learnt. The news was announced by Sweden's Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Stan Rylander last week.

"The donor community has pledged US$100 million a month for the next six months, while assessing whether it was viable to assist the inclusive Government with long term development aid," said Rylander.

He was speaking on the sidelines of a conference organised by the Centre for Peace Initiatives in Africa. Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai met with members of the donor community after he was sworn in last week.

"About US$50 million (of the total amount) will be used for civil servants salaries while the remainder of the money will go towards things such as the rehabilitation of sewer systems,” according to Rylander.

Rylander said PM Tsvangirai made the announcement that he would ask for funds before he had talked to the donor community, but said the funds could be made available as early as next month.

"For this month, I am not sure where the funds will come from, but perhaps there has been assistance from countries such as South Africa and Botswana.

"The Prime Minister announced that civil servants would get paid in foreign currency before he asked us for funds, so I am sure there was some other source.”

Members of the armed forces, and other civil servants were paid US$100 coupons in addition to their salaries to cushio them from the effects of the hyperinflationary environment in Zimbabwe. These are redeemable at selected banks in the country.

Meanwhile, Tsvangirai Sunday said an inclusive Government was "the only way out" of Zimbabwe's crises and urged the international community to support it.

Adressing supporters in Gweru town, about 220 kilometres (140 miles) south of the capital Harare, Tsvangirai appealed to the international community to help Zimbabwe and accept its citizens' right to chose their own government.

"The international community should help us but accept that Zimbabweans have a right to choose and they have decided that the inclusive government is the only way out," he said at celebrations for the 10th anniversary of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) party.

"Please support us," he said, adding that President Mugabe and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, who heads an MDC splinter faction, were committed to making the transitional power-sharing government work.

-TZG/AFP/Chronicle

Labels: DONORS

posted by MrK @ 5:25 AM