David Miliband

Foreign Secretary

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Thursday 18 September, 2008

The next chapter of Zimbabwe's future is for Zimbabweans to write now

I spoke to our Ambassador in Harare today. Zimbabwe's story always seems to have another page to turn. Since Monday's signature, the parties have been locked in discussions over Ministerial responsibilities. Ordinary Zimbabweans and the outside world are waiting to hear the outcome.
 
Zimbabwe's people need a government that works in their interests. We, the outside world, need a functioning administration with which to engage. If a new government can let NGOs get food out to people and can deliver macroeconomic stability, then all of Zimbabwe's friends can give Zimbabwe  more of the support its people need. As the second largest bilateral donor, Britain's been trying to deliver food aid  of course. But more international help will come if the new administration can show everyone it is serious about change. 
 
The next chapter of Zimbabwe's future is for  Zimbabweans to write now . We'll keep working to make it a positive one.

Posted at 19:24 18 September 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[12]

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I also would add that negotiation and diplomacy from South africa has been very positive, and has helped this new political process. Mkebi has his critics but he never gave up on zimbabwe.

Posted by stu on September 18, 2008 at 11:50 PM BST #

Indeed Zimbabweans will write the next chapter of what has been a rather captivating story. It will be interesting to see how the country's strategic geopolitical partners will be realigned once the GNU takes traction. It will be interesting to see whether China or the UK will gain preeminence. My bet is on the Chinese!

Posted by Brian on September 19, 2008 at 10:54 AM BST #

The UK and the rest of the int'l community need to push SADC and the AU to urge the new government to accept the return of UN specialised agencies, funds and programmes to the country as soon as possible in order to assist the people that badly need help. Why on earth is there no appointed UN special envoy to Zimbabwe?

Posted by Francis on September 19, 2008 at 11:31 AM BST #

A future that has just been made a lot easier by the long overdue departure of Mr Mbeki from South Africa. This heralds the end of Mugabe and not before time.

Posted by M on September 20, 2008 at 04:07 PM BST #

What are the UK priorities for this year's General Assembly?

Posted by Sholto Moger on September 22, 2008 at 11:03 AM BST #

Monday is only the beginning, there is a long way to go but this is positive progress. Zimbabwe has just been fitted with a dimmer switch let's hope it makes the light bulb brighter.

Posted by Tim on September 23, 2008 at 06:15 PM BST #

In his usual apparently effortless way Mugabe seems to be busy working at turning the situation back round again. It seems that there are no solid guarantees in the SA-brokered settlement. Before asking for a UN special envoy, mindful of the somewhat patchy record of UN intervention in situations of human catastrophe and with particular reference to the decisions in the Srebrenica court cases in the Rechtsbank at The Hague this summer and to the Save The Children "No One To Turn To" report, please will you ensure that the issue of the legal accountability of the UN and its agents is raised at the General Assembly. One of the UN's most outstanding special envoys was Tadeusz Mazowiecki. Sending a special envoy is not the same as a commitment to effective action, in Zimbabwe or Darfur just as much as in Bosnia. "Absolute immunity" for the UN and forces operating under its mandate is intolerable when it means no-one is held accountable for actions that contributed to a genocide proven under the terms of the Genocide Convention 40th anniversary on 9 December. The UK should be clear and should make it clear that "absolute immunity" for the UN or any contracting party is inconsistent with the undertaking under Article I of the Convention "*to prevent* and to punish" genocide as "a crime under international law". Article Eight of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights calls for an effective remedy in law for victims. It's the 60th anniversary on 10 December. We're still waiting.

Posted by Owen on September 25, 2008 at 01:48 PM BST #

*Not intended for publication* I'd just like to say what an excellent idea these FCO blogs are. Obviously the ministerial ones have to have a substantial political component but at least there is the opportunity for some direct insights. The local ones are a very useful source of personal insights and relevant information from people who have interesting things to tell us that are often unlikely to be reported unless there's a crisis situation. The problem is that there's not enough scope. Obviously there are constraints on embassy staff time - using a pair of contributors like the Harare bloggers is a sensible idea. But there do seem to be a very limited number of embassies involved in the scheme - I hope the non-participants will be encouraged by their colleagues. It would also be useful to provide coordinated links to the non-English language blogs like Matthew Rycroft's former and Victoria Harrison's in Bosnia. And finally you still haven't restored Meg Munn's link to the sidebar.

Posted by Owen on September 25, 2008 at 04:04 PM BST #

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDUSTRY GROWTH, INVESTMENT AND COMPETITIVENESS IN AFRICAIGICA: Date 8-10 June 2009, Venue: Abuja, Nigeria; Website: www.kfint.com/igica Yes indeed, the future of Zimbabwe lie squarely on the hands of the people. However, they will need our support based on integrates approach that links AID, TRADE, INVESTMENT, GROWTH and GOBAL PARTNERSHIP. This is one of the themes that will be discussed at the International Conference on Industry Growth, Investment and Competitiveness in AfricaIGICA. This major conference is hosted by the Nigeria Government and to be held on 8-10 June 2009 at Abuja, Nigeria. It is necessary that countries such as Zimbabwe should be encourages to attend so that they are able to learn from those that are progressing in Africa. It is also the type of Conference that the Foreighn Office, BERR, DFID should support. It will be help if the UK industry particiapte in the Conference and the Trade Fair

Posted by Louise Atherton on September 29, 2008 at 11:21 PM BST #

As a Zimbabwean who is fully informed about the crisis in my country, I strongly believe that Positive and diplomatic engagement is the only way to a lasting solution when dealing with volatile situation such as the one we are going through now. I am therefore personally very pleased that Foreign Minister David Miliband strongly believes that the positive initiative that was opened up by the signing of an agreement between Mugabe and Tsvangirai will eventually result in a lasting deal that will see all innocent Zimbabweans suffering out of this uncalled for problem begin to mend their lives in a positive way. I am also with him however in expressing reservations with regard to the delay in forming a viable Cabinet. "Justice delayed might be justice denied" to the suffering and innocent people of Zimbabwe. The foreign secretary and the rest of the British government, while seeing to it that they have the interests of the poor Zimbabweans at heart by tactfully but firmly applying pressure to the parties concerned that they reach a solution soon, they should also begin persuading the European Union and the International Community to relax the Sanctions that have torn the country's infrastructure apart. This should be done as acknowledgement for the effort made so far. This will prove to the Zimbabwean community that Britain's behaviour is not retributive for the farm seizures that took place under Mugabe's leadership. This is what not only Zimbabweans think but also the mainstream of the international community. We all advocate a peaceful solution to Zimbabwe’s land crisis and do not support any violent way of dealing with the problem. All Zimbabweans are entitled to land regardless of who they are. However, there are certain fundamental principles emanating from Zimbabwe's historical past which the British government is also privy to and would require their diplomatic co-operation in making sure that the whole crisis is dealt with amicably. This is more so when we consider that the Conservatives' tenure in power from 1980 saw a peaceful co-existence in Zimbabwe until New Labour came to power in 1997. Getting Tsvangirai into power will never provide a lasting solution to Zimbabwe's crisis with regard to the issue of land redistribution. You might only later discover that it was a case of "from the frying pan into the fire" in the near future.

Posted by Blessed Kungwengwe on October 06, 2008 at 03:52 PM BST #

It looks like Mbeki and Mugabe have tricked the MDC into signing an inadequate Deal. They have succeeded in getting the international community off their back and continue to abuse the situation for their own gain while Zimbabweans are now dying of starvation in significant numbers, a horror story that looks set to continue unless democratic nations take immediate and decisive action. Please get involved.

Posted by concerned on October 07, 2008 at 10:22 PM BST #

I have doubts wether this new resolution will bring stability in Zimbabwe. However, it seems that there is some resolutions. The world will look closely on Zimbabwe to see if there is going to be changes. I hope there will be as many Zimbabweans are struggling

Posted by Francis Emongo on October 10, 2008 at 04:54 PM BST #

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