Colonial master blocks Zimbabwe's Commonwealth readmission

Zimbabwe's bid to rejoin the Commonwealth has been effectively blocked by the United Kingdom, which has stated that the country must first address its governance and human rights record before being readmitted. This development comes after the Commonwealth Secretariat recommended Zimbabwe's readmission, following a consultation period in which member countries were given until November 26 to express their views.

In a written response to a question by Baroness Kate Hoey in the House of Lords, the UK's Foreign Office stated that, while it supports Zimbabwe's eventual return to the Commonwealth, it does not share the Secretariat's assessment of the country's progress or readiness. The UK emphasized that Zimbabwe must meet the values and principles outlined in the Commonwealth Charter before being allowed back into the organization.

"The UK has always been clear that we would like to see Zimbabwe return to the Commonwealth when the time is right. However, currently we do not share the Secretariat's assessment of Zimbabwe's progress or readiness in line with the shared values and principles laid out in the Commonwealth Charter," the Foreign Office said in its response.

While acknowledging that Zimbabwe has made some progress, the UK highlighted several critical areas that need further improvement, particularly in democracy, governance, and human rights. The UK pointed out that Zimbabwe had not implemented key recommendations from the Commonwealth Election Observer Mission, which identified several deficiencies in the country's electoral process.

The observer mission raised concerns about the lack of independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), prohibitive candidate registration fees, the absence of judicial independence, and a lack of transparency in the announcement of election results. These issues, the UK government argues, must be addressed before Zimbabwe can reapply for Commonwealth membership.

In response to these concerns, the UK has called for another assessment of Zimbabwe's progress, with a proposed follow-up mission to take place in 2025. The Foreign Office stated that it would "encourage a further Commonwealth assessment mission to Zimbabwe in 2025 to follow up on these areas."

The UK's stance comes amid growing calls from African nations for Zimbabwe's readmission to the Commonwealth. However, the UK's position underscores the ongoing challenges the country faces in meeting the democratic and governance standards expected by the organization.

"We strongly value our partnership with Zimbabwe and stand ready to support further reforms in this regard, through the Commonwealth and other fora," the Foreign Office added.

The Commonwealth, which currently includes 56 countries with historical ties to the British Empire, suspended Zimbabwe in 2002 following concerns about human rights violations and the political situation under former President Robert Mugabe. While some African countries have been vocal in their support for Zimbabwe's return to the Commonwealth, the UK's decision reflects a more cautious approach, emphasizing the need for concrete reforms before Zimbabwe can fully rejoin the group.