Tag: Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: The GPA needs to be implemented before free and fair elections can take place.
The memory of the 2008 post-electoral violence is still very much alive among Zimbabweans and many fear a repeat of the events if polls are to be held as soon as 2011. Before a conducive environment for elections can be created, the Global Political Agreement (GPA) needs to be implemented and the Constitutional reform process completed. Without these conditions, no meaningful truth, justice or reconciliation process can realistically take root in Zimbabwe, leaving scars unhealed and the country divided. Link to article.
Civil-Political Society Platform on constitutional reform
Since the implementation of the power-sharing deal, EPD has focused on
supporting the interface between the new inclusive government and civil
society. Strengthening the interface between politicians and civil
society is a niche for the EPD work, matching its constituent
organisations. The EPD focuses with a group of Zimbabwean NGOs on meeting the urgent
need to supply impartial information to the Zimbabwean People about the
constitutional process to ensure their meaningful participation, and
allow them to make their own choices to be reflected in the new
constitution.
Support to victims of the 2008 political violence
In Zimbabwe, the EPD has been supporting victims of the 2008 electoral violence to express European solidarity with Zimbabwean people who had to pay a high price working for a more democratic Zimbabwe. Through its local partner organisations, EPD provided support for widows of democracy activists.
The EU–Zimbabwe political dialogue: moving towards enhanced cooperation
On July 2 2010, the High Representative / Vice President Catherine Ashton and Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs met with a Ministerial Delegation from the Zimbabwean Government in the framework of the Political Dialogue, as foreseen in the Cotonou Agreement, which was relaunched in June last year. Read more.
EPD welcomes the latest council conclusions on Zimbabwe
EPD welcomes the latest Council Conclusions on Zimbabwe for their emphasis on the Council's readiness to work closely with the Government of National Unity in Zimbabwe, recognizing what has already been achieved by the GNU so far, as well as for their expression of concerns of insufficient progress in the field of respect for human rights amongst others. In this context, EPD is particularly concerned to learn about the latest arrests of Zimbabwean civil society representatives of GAPWUZ, CIVNET and the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition. Link to the Council Conclusions on Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe conference in Brussels as constitutional reform delayed further
The Zimbabwe Europe Network (ZEN) held a conference on donor reengagement in Zimbabwe on 18 November in Brussels. The ZEN functions as an information hub on the country for Zimbabwean organisations, EU insitutions and Member States alike. The EPD, in conjunction with its Dutch partner organisation the NIMD, the European Commission and Zimbabwean organisations is actively supporting citizen engagement in the constitutional reform process taking place at present. Yet the process itself is to be delayed again into the New Year. The EPD's Africa programme manager Marieke van Doorn has produced this update on the state of play in the country.
Zimbabwe: Next Steps in the Consitutional Reform Process
The visit last weekend of European Commissioner Karel de Gucht (Development and Humanitarian Aid) with the Swedish and Spanish Ministers for International Cooperation might not have changed Europe's attitude towards Zimbabwe's Inclusive Government, but it did show Europe's commitment to, and solidarity with, the transition that is ongoing in the country. During the EPD delegation's stay in Harare in early September, President Zuma of South Africa met with the country's leaders, and the regional body SADC decided to host a special Zimbabwe summit in Maputo. But does all this international attention benefit the internal Zimbabwean dynamics of the ongoing transition? Read the EPD's latest report here.
Zimbabwean Prime Minister as well as civil society leaders tour Europe
Prime Minister Tsvangirai has been
touring European capitals to raise funds and re-establish relations between the
unity government and the EU, normalizing the frozen relations of the past 10
years.
Zimbabwean
civil society leaders travelled European capitals as well, preparing the ground
for the official delegation's visit, on a tour prepared by the Zimbabwe Europe
Network. The European Partnership for Democracy co-organised a Roundtable for
Brussels-based civil society, European and African governments and EU
institutions, at which four Zimbabwean civil society leaders. To the article...
If we would have wanted a revolution, we should not have started negotiating
Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai starts a three weeks tour visiting Western capitals to inform
governments about the progress of his Inclusive Government in order to persuade
international donors to re-engage with Zimbabwe. At his first stop in The Netherlands, the
European Partnership for Democracy and the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty
Democracy met with Prime Minister Tsvangirai and Minister of Economic Planning
Elton Mangoma. More...
From enemies to partners: Zimbabwean Ministers talk about the difficult path of transition
Zimbabwe set to start constitutional reform process
While some of the EU Member States are preparing their
commemorations of the 20th anniversary of transition to democracy,
Zimbabwe’s Inclusive Government is preparing to start a revision of the
current constitution in a complicated transitional context with ongoing
violence, a widespread political culture of fear and mistrust and a
devastated economy. Zimbabwe cannot afford a failure of this Inclusive
Government and Europe should do its utmost to support the transitional
work where possible. Please read the article.