Brussels, 14/09/2009 (Agence Europe) - Lifting the targeted sanctions imposed by the EU in 2002 on Robert Mugabe and on some 200 other Zimbabweans belonging to his party is still not on the agenda, given the persistent human rights violations in Zimbabwe. The EU Troika, which visited Harare on 12-13 September, made this clear to its interlocutors.
The European side believes that this visit began “a new phase” in EU-Zimbabwe relations, but the situation is far from having improved in all areas. Swedish development cooperation minister Gunilla Carlsson, who led the Troika on behalf of the EU Presidency, said that she was still concerned by the lack of democratic development.
The aim of the visit was to monitor the implementation of the comprehensive political agreement signed last year, with meetings with Robert Mugabe and his former rival Morgan Tsvangitri,, who now holds the position of Prime Minister in the coalition government. This agreement involves various democratic reforms, respect for human rights, the rule of law, full freedom of the media and an end to political violence. Stating that the EU had never stopped helping Zimbabwe, Development Commissioner Karel de Gucht, who was part of the Troika, announced the payment by the EU of some €90 million of humanitarian aid in 2009. (A.N./transl.rt)