US lawmakers supportive of inclusive Government
Ralph Mutema
Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:13:00 +0000
THE largest delegation of U.S. lawmakers to visit Zimbabwe in a decade has completed a visit to Zimbabwe and said they are supportive of the inclusive Government formed by President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
The delegation concluded a two-day visit Thursday to monitor the progress of the inclusive Government formed in February. The visit included meetings with President Robert Mugabe and other senior government leaders, including Prime Minister Tsvangirai.
The delegation included Gregory Meeks (D-New York), Jack Kingston (R-Georgia), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Melvin Watt (D-North Carolina) and Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio). The Obama administration, unlike Bush administration, has thrown support behind the inclusive Government.
Meeks said: “Our support for the Zimbabwean people cannot be questioned. U.S. direct assistance to the Zimbabwean people exceeded $310 million, primarily food aid, non-food emergency assistance, health assistance, and democracy building support this year. We have always stood ready to help the Zimbabwean people.”
Meeks said only the inclsuive Government had a "reasonable prospect of delivering benefits to the Zimbabwean people."
Labels: GREGORY MEEKS, NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, SHEILA JACKSON-LEE
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US Congressmen end Zimbabwe visit
by
03/09/2009 00:00:00
A DELEGATION of U.S. Congressmen concluded two days of meetings with senior Zimbabwean government officials in Harare on Thursday.
The five-member delegation discussed a range of issues including the performance of the power sharing government, unresolved issues of the Global Political Agreement signed last September 15, and the role of the United States in supporting the government, the US embassy said.
The delegation, the largest group of American policymakers Zimbabwe has hosted in more than a decade, was led by Representative Gregory Meeks (D-New York) and included Representatives Jack Kingston (R-Georgia), Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas), Melvin Watt (D- North Carolina) and Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio).
The delegation met separately with President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, and Speaker of the House of Assembly Lovemore Moyo and the tri-partite chairs of the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution.
Following their meeting with the Prime Minister, Representative Meeks, speaking on behalf of the delegation, said: “This delegation and my government are supportive of the inclusive political arrangement established between the three primary political parties in Zimbabwe. We recognize that it is not intended as a permanent arrangement and as such is bound to experience some growing pains.
"However, to have a reasonable prospect of delivering benefits to the Zimbabwean people it is paramount that the signatories work in good faith with each other. We are concerned that multiple issues remain unresolved with respect to the Global Political Agreement.”
While addressing America’s relationship with Zimbabwe and what additional support the U.S. government might provide, Meeks said: “Our support for the Zimbabwean people cannot be questioned. U.S. direct assistance to the Zimbabwean people exceeded $310 million, primarily food aid, non-food emergency assistance, health assistance, and democracy building support this year. We have always stood ready to help the Zimbabwean people.
“During Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s visit to Washington in June, President Obama promised additional support in the areas of agriculture and education. Beyond this, increased U.S. engagement and assistance will depend on further political and economic reform; and compliance with the Global Political Agreement."
Labels: CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS, SHEILA JACKSON-LEE, ZIMBABWE
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