(TALKZIMBABWE) Ministerial team to engage EU over sanctions

Ministerial team to engage EU over sanctions
Our reporter
Tue, 17 Mar 2009 04:54:00 +0000

A MINISTERIAL taskforce of the inclusive Government is being formed to engage the European Union over the Zimbabwe sanctions issue, state media reports.

The task force headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi will comprise representatives of all the parties to the inclusive Government who are members of Cabinet.

The MDC-T party will be represented by Finance Minister Tendai Biti, while the MDC-M party will be represented by Regional Integration and International Co-operation Minister Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga and Industry and Commerce Minister Welshman Ncube.

Earlier this month Zimbabwe extended an olive branch to the EU and indicated that it was ready for diplomatic engagement with the regional bloc.

Mumbengegwi told journalists this month that EU countries should explore bilateral relations withZimbabwe to mend severed relations.

"We are ready for dialogue with these countries, our relations with EU countries are both bilateral and regional and there is nothing to prevent the countries from engaging in bilateral dialogue with Zimbabwe," said Mumbengengwi.

He was briefing journalists on the outcome of the Sadc Council of Ministers meeting held in Cape Town, South Africa at the end of February.

Mumbengengwi said the Council of Ministers meeting, which was also attended by Finance Minister, Tendai Biti, had noted that it would be difficult to mobilise resources to support Zimbabwe’s economic recovery programme while the sanctions were still in place.

The Minister said Sadc had registered satisfaction at the progress made thus far in the implementation of the Global Political Agreement which was the precursor to the formation of the inclusive Government.

Formal discussions are expected to commence at the ministerial level with formal communication initiating dialogue being done through the African Caribbean and Pacific Secretariat, according to reports

Government will approach EU countries that have shown readiness in engaging Zimbabwe and encourage them to complement efforts to turn around the economy through the Short Term Emergency Recovery Programme.

The re-engagement will also be in terms of the Cotonou Agreement, which guides dialogue between the ACP and EU.