News / National
UK Minister for Africa to visit Zimbabwe
28 May 2025 at 12:44hrs | Views
Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom are set to deepen diplomatic and economic ties with the anticipated visit of UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins, in what is shaping up to be a historic shift in relations between the two nations.
Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, revealed the impending visit through a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday. He shared a photo of himself with Lord Collins during a lunch meeting in Ivory Coast, where both officials are attending the African Development Bank (AfDB) Annual Meetings.
"Having lunch with Lord Collins, UK Minister for Africa, in Ivory Coast at AfDB Annual Meeting 2025. We discussed a wide range of issues. Very pleased that he removed sanctions on individuals and ZDI today. His upcoming visit to Zimbabwe will further strengthen relations," Ncube posted.
The announcement came just days after the UK government removed four Zimbabwean individuals and one state-linked entity, Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI), from its sanctions list. Those delisted include former State Security Minister Owen Ncube, intelligence chief Isaac Moyo, police commissioner-general Godwin Matanga, and former presidential guard commander Anselem Sanyatwe. The move mirrors recent policy shifts by the European Union and the United States, both of which have eased restrictions on Zimbabwe in the past year.
The warming relations were further underlined by a landmark one-off Test cricket match between Zimbabwe and England at Trent Bridge last week - their first such encounter in decades. The match was widely viewed as a symbolic gesture marking the restoration of diplomatic goodwill and cultural diplomacy.
England last toured Zimbabwe in 2004, playing a series of One Day Internationals before bilateral cricket relations collapsed in 2008 amid deepening political tensions. However, momentum is now building for a full England tour to Zimbabwe, potentially within the International Cricket Council's Future Tours Programme for 2027–2031.
Sources close to Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) say preliminary discussions have begun with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), with a proposed tour including matches at a new venue being considered near Victoria Falls. The picturesque location is part of efforts to combine sporting and tourism development as Zimbabwe looks to reassert itself on the global stage.
The combination of diplomatic outreach, sporting engagement, and sanctions relief signals a dramatic turnaround in UK-Zimbabwe relations, once characterized by frosty exchanges and economic penalties.
Observers say Lord Collins' planned visit could provide the diplomatic breakthrough Zimbabwe has long sought, potentially opening up new avenues for trade, investment, and reengagement with Western powers.
The visit is expected to further consolidate gains made in recent months, as Zimbabwe continues its campaign to shed its pariah status and reposition itself as an emerging partner on the global economic and political scene.
Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, revealed the impending visit through a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday. He shared a photo of himself with Lord Collins during a lunch meeting in Ivory Coast, where both officials are attending the African Development Bank (AfDB) Annual Meetings.
"Having lunch with Lord Collins, UK Minister for Africa, in Ivory Coast at AfDB Annual Meeting 2025. We discussed a wide range of issues. Very pleased that he removed sanctions on individuals and ZDI today. His upcoming visit to Zimbabwe will further strengthen relations," Ncube posted.
The announcement came just days after the UK government removed four Zimbabwean individuals and one state-linked entity, Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI), from its sanctions list. Those delisted include former State Security Minister Owen Ncube, intelligence chief Isaac Moyo, police commissioner-general Godwin Matanga, and former presidential guard commander Anselem Sanyatwe. The move mirrors recent policy shifts by the European Union and the United States, both of which have eased restrictions on Zimbabwe in the past year.
The warming relations were further underlined by a landmark one-off Test cricket match between Zimbabwe and England at Trent Bridge last week - their first such encounter in decades. The match was widely viewed as a symbolic gesture marking the restoration of diplomatic goodwill and cultural diplomacy.
England last toured Zimbabwe in 2004, playing a series of One Day Internationals before bilateral cricket relations collapsed in 2008 amid deepening political tensions. However, momentum is now building for a full England tour to Zimbabwe, potentially within the International Cricket Council's Future Tours Programme for 2027–2031.
Sources close to Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) say preliminary discussions have begun with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), with a proposed tour including matches at a new venue being considered near Victoria Falls. The picturesque location is part of efforts to combine sporting and tourism development as Zimbabwe looks to reassert itself on the global stage.
The combination of diplomatic outreach, sporting engagement, and sanctions relief signals a dramatic turnaround in UK-Zimbabwe relations, once characterized by frosty exchanges and economic penalties.
Observers say Lord Collins' planned visit could provide the diplomatic breakthrough Zimbabwe has long sought, potentially opening up new avenues for trade, investment, and reengagement with Western powers.
The visit is expected to further consolidate gains made in recent months, as Zimbabwe continues its campaign to shed its pariah status and reposition itself as an emerging partner on the global economic and political scene.
Source - the chronicle
