PM’s maiden foreign trip crucial for Zim’s recovery

All the above were threatening the very survival of a country that once was very vibrant and promising. The advent of the new inclusive government brought stability and hope to the country which many had written off completely.
Most importantly Morgan Tsvangirai was at the centre of the political dynamics of the change process of course supported by Arthur Mutambara and other foot soldiers in the revolution.
Today, the economy and people of Zimbabwe are beginning to see the results at least in part of a normalised political system in the form of a coalition or alliance of former bitter rivals.
Some have branded Tsvangirai, President Mugabe’s errand boy for the removal of the dreaded sanctions against the country but this view is as nonsensical as the people who are supporting it.
What is at stake in Zimbabwe today is the survival of a country that has vast potential to rescue itself only with initial support from the outside countries.
Tsvangirai’s overseas trips are just meant to achieve that very important objective and the fruits of his visits abroad will soon be realised a few months or years down the line.
First, it was important that someone of the PM’s stature and position went abroad to re-establish the good relations Zimbabwe once enjoyed with the international community during the honeymoon days of our independence.
Second, having rescued Zimbabwe from the jaws of a failed state, Tsvangirai and his cohorts of democrats and reformists needed to go further and approach willing members of the international community to support the inclusive government financially.
It is encouraging to see a Zimbabwean leader being welcomed abroad with the grandeur and embrace that is normally accorded to other so called democratic members of the international community. Zimbabwe deserves a place in international fora in view of what we once stood for and the progress we once registered in the fields of education and health in Africa.
However, it is worrying that the response of the international community has not been rapid enough in view of the desperation of the Zimbabwean situation. What we are hearing these days are warm words of encouragement, support and solidarity but none of these have translated into tangible results except for a few handouts here and there.
What Zimbabwe needs today apart from the very urgent humanitarian aid is tangible actions and commitments such as balance of payments support, opening of lines of credit to the private sector, manufacturing revival, technical assistance in agriculture, telecommunications, debt relief and moratorium on loan repayments, trade and investment, joint ventures in mining, forestry and construction as well as acceptance into trading arrangements such as NEPAD, AGOA, London and Paris Donor Conferences and IMF and World Bank programmes. The list is endless.
It is understandable that we are meeting obstacles towards achieving some of the above objectives. These include conditionalities such as reversing our land policies as suggested by Angela Merkel (Zimbabwe Guardian report June 15 2009), reforming the legal system with a view to improving human rights, constitutional reform, stop fresh farm invasions, restore the rule of law and free press.
It is within our control to improve on most of the issues cited by potential financial backers as contentious and needing urgent change. Again, It was important that Tsvangirai went abroad to explain the commitment to achieving the above changes and the need for the international community to consider supporting Zimbabwe now instead of waiting for President Mugabe’s departure or total demise of the country before aid can be given. It is true that Tsvangirai has a herculean task to appease the West quite justifiably and to push for more reforms back home against the background of a very defiant group of ZANU-PF politicians who perceive of him and President Mugabe as sell-outs.
Finally, to those opposed to Tsvangirai’s trade and PR visits abroad there is no other way this country can be turned around without convincing the international community that Zimbabwe has now returned to its fold and needs support.
Unfortunately, no ZANU-PF people can ever be believed as genuine converts for peace and development and ZANU-PF Minister Mzembi’s Obama sub incident is a good example of how deeply detested the party is abroad, at least in the developed west.
– Crisford Chogugudza is a political commentator based in London. He can be contacted at:
Crisford02@yahoo.co.uk