Zimbabwe has made significant progress in meeting the conditions set for re-admission into the Commonwealth, the head of the organisation’s assessment team that has been in the country since Saturday, Commonwealth Assistant Secretary General Professor Luis Franschesci, said yesterday.
He was speaking at a press conference at the end of the visit. Zimbabwe has been very open about the reforms, stressing that they were in response to the needs of its own people, rather than as a result of pressure from outside or the Commonwealth, but that what Zimbabwe has done for the benefit of its people also seems to meet the expectations of the Commonwealth.
Yesterday, the team met President Mnangagwa after meeting Government ministers, Zanu-PF officials,opposition political parties, civil society, religious leaders, individuals and independent commissions.
“The doors were opened to anybody and the conclusion we came to from everybody we met is that yes, Zimbabwe and the people of Zimbabwe, should be part of the Commonwealth, part of the Commonwealth family of nations which has a history deeply bound and deeply entrenched with the history of this beautiful country,” said Prof Franschesci.
“We have been making assessments, asking burning questions and certainly the conclusion is that Zimbabwe has made very impressive progress on those kinds of alignments they were asked to make by the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth so as to be aligned to the Commonwealth Charter and the values enshrined in that Charter.”
The Charter was adopted in 2013, the same year Zimbabwe adopted its new Constitution and Prof Franschesci said it was not a coincidence that the two documents enshrined the same values.
After the assessment, his team would produce a report that will be circulated to Heads of Government who would then make their recommendations.
If they approve, Zimbabwe would then be invited to make a formal application to re-join.
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ziyambi Ziyambi said Government had, during their interactions with the team, demonstrated the progress made in implementing reforms.
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ziyambi Ziyambi
“This assessment, like the previous two sessions, was marked by candid and robust constructive deliberations,” he said. “During our deliberations with your team, Government clearly demonstrated the tremendous progress that we have achieved.”
Zimbabwe had been implementing political, economic, legislative and electoral reforms, said the Minister.
Commonwealth Assistant Secretary General Professor Luis Franschesci
“As President Mnangagwa has said before, these comprehensive system-wide reforms, which are being undertaken by the Second Republic, are designed first and foremost, to deliver a better life for the people of Zimbabwe,” he said.
“The reforms have not been undertaken in response to the Commonwealth or other outside interests, but these are people-centred reforms designed by our people for themselves. In that regard, our Vision 2030 priorities democratic values, respect for human and property rights, freedom of expression and association, rule of law and addressing economic challenges.” – The Chronicle
