Opinion / Columnist
EU failure exposed
28 Jan 2016 at 10:12hrs | Views
It is now evident that the European Union (EU) intervention in Zimbabwean politics has hit a brick wall following its call for the United Nations to supervise elections in Zimbabwe. The organisation aimed to effect regime change in the country through the imposition of sanctions but they failed to remove the ruling party from power.
The only alternative the EU has to meet their economic interests in Zimbabwe is to engage the ruling party through its government rather than its dream of engaging the MDC through regime change. The ongoing re-engagement efforts of the EU have further intensified, with a multimillion dollar rescue packaged being pledged by Brussels for the ZANU PF government.
Almost $320 million dollars is available for grabs from the EU, which indicated that the money will be made available as soon as it lifts the restrictive measures it still has in place against President Robert Mugabe and the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe. They are the only two that remain targeted after the EU removed the bulk of the restrictions recently. Now if the organisation is sincere it should engage the Zimbabwean government.
The EU is claiming and alleging that it has been steadily re-engaging with ZANU PF despite the flawed and highly disputed elections held in 2013, despite a failure by the regime to implement any reforms previously stipulated by the Brussels based bloc. Originally, the EU wanted to see key changes in Zimbabwe, including democratic, free and fair elections before removing any targeted sanctions.
Europe has moved to secure its economic interests in Zimbabwe through the removal of the targeted measures. The Belgium based Antwerp World Diamond Council even admitted that it lobbied on ZANU PF's behalf of the removal of the measures, in order to secure Zimbabwe sales from its auction floors.
The re-engagement has also been justified by academics as the only possible way forward and according to London's Chatham House think tank, a pragmatic diplomacy is required to normalize relations with President Robert Mugabe not to preach regime change as it has proved to be a non-starter. On the other end the EU is also seeking for UN-observed polls in Zimbabwe. The move is viewed as a tactic to penetrate the country through the world body as EU members also belong there.
Elections are a vital part of transitions, decolonization and the implementation of peace agreements around the globe, and the UN plays a major role in providing international assistance to these important processes of change. Today, the UN focuses its electoral efforts on providing technical assistance to help member states build credible and sustainable national electoral systems.
More than hundred countries including Zimbabwe have received UN election observation so there is nothing new; but we are only worried about the EU's interest in the polls. The EU has shown its true colours that it is really interested in Zimbabwe's resources. Woe to these brood of vipers for they failed in their regime change crusade.
The only alternative the EU has to meet their economic interests in Zimbabwe is to engage the ruling party through its government rather than its dream of engaging the MDC through regime change. The ongoing re-engagement efforts of the EU have further intensified, with a multimillion dollar rescue packaged being pledged by Brussels for the ZANU PF government.
Almost $320 million dollars is available for grabs from the EU, which indicated that the money will be made available as soon as it lifts the restrictive measures it still has in place against President Robert Mugabe and the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe. They are the only two that remain targeted after the EU removed the bulk of the restrictions recently. Now if the organisation is sincere it should engage the Zimbabwean government.
The EU is claiming and alleging that it has been steadily re-engaging with ZANU PF despite the flawed and highly disputed elections held in 2013, despite a failure by the regime to implement any reforms previously stipulated by the Brussels based bloc. Originally, the EU wanted to see key changes in Zimbabwe, including democratic, free and fair elections before removing any targeted sanctions.
Europe has moved to secure its economic interests in Zimbabwe through the removal of the targeted measures. The Belgium based Antwerp World Diamond Council even admitted that it lobbied on ZANU PF's behalf of the removal of the measures, in order to secure Zimbabwe sales from its auction floors.
The re-engagement has also been justified by academics as the only possible way forward and according to London's Chatham House think tank, a pragmatic diplomacy is required to normalize relations with President Robert Mugabe not to preach regime change as it has proved to be a non-starter. On the other end the EU is also seeking for UN-observed polls in Zimbabwe. The move is viewed as a tactic to penetrate the country through the world body as EU members also belong there.
Elections are a vital part of transitions, decolonization and the implementation of peace agreements around the globe, and the UN plays a major role in providing international assistance to these important processes of change. Today, the UN focuses its electoral efforts on providing technical assistance to help member states build credible and sustainable national electoral systems.
More than hundred countries including Zimbabwe have received UN election observation so there is nothing new; but we are only worried about the EU's interest in the polls. The EU has shown its true colours that it is really interested in Zimbabwe's resources. Woe to these brood of vipers for they failed in their regime change crusade.
Source - Stewart Murewa
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