Britain keen on normalising relations with Zimbabwe

BRITAIN is keen to mend its relations with Zimbabwe and support the government in fostering development in the country, the United Kingdom Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Deborah Bronnert, said in Bulawayo yesterday.

The British envoy said her government was committed to normalising relations with Harare and treating the country like any other country in the world.

"Despite some fairly bumps on the road, that is gradually happening. For that process to be completed both sides will need to play their part," she said adding that her country was delighted to welcome a senior delegation of Zimbabwean business leaders in January this year.

"I hope that this means Zimbabwe will look in all directions in terms of its trade and other relationships and that we will shortly see an official return visit from the UK to Zimbabwe."

Bronnert said the country had a superb constitution and strong institutions that provide a strong foundation for the country to play its part fully internationally on the basis of political, civil, economic and human rights for all Zimbabweans.

She affirmed the same sentiments on the sidelines of the commissioning of Gwemombe Women's Wetlands Conservation and Market Gardening project in the Midlands, saying her country would support Zimbabwe and work with the government in poverty alleviation and averting hunger.

Bronnert said the British government was going to support any initiative by the government meant to avert hunger, alleviate poverty and ensure food security at household level.

In its new economic blueprint dubbed Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset), the government seeks to create a self-sufficient and food surplus economy and see Zimbabwe retain its status as the "bread basket" of Southern Africa.

"We support the government's aim to eradicate poverty and avert hunger as well as having prosperity and peace in Zimbabwe. We are working with the Zimbabwean government and everyone to achieve these aims. As the British government, we had this developmental project since 1980 and we have been doing it all these years. We want to work with Zimbabweans to alleviate poverty and avert hunger and become their development partners," said Bronnert.

Addressing villagers at the same gathering, Shurugwi South MP, Cde Tapiwa Matangaidze, said women should take a leading role in initiating developmental projects in rural communities to ensure the government achieved its objective of averting hunger and alleviating poverty.

Cde Matangaidze said women had a mammoth task to empower themselves and urged them to grab all opportunities that come their way.

"Women are very vital in developmental projects. They should grab all opportunities that come their way so that they become empowered. It is the government's number one priority to avert hunger and alleviate poverty. The government is working tirelessly to ensure food security at household level. It is in light of this that we call upon women to come forth and participate in all developmental projects. A popular Shona idiom which goes ‘musha mukadzi' captures how important women are," he said.

The British Embassy donated $15,000 for the procurement of a fence for 1.5 hectares. Gwemombe Women's Wetlands Conservation and Market Gardening project has 35 beneficiaries, 31 of which are women.