EU lifts economic sanctions on Zimbabwe but Mugabe remains under sanctions

The European Union (EU) has lifted its decade-long economic sanctions on Zimbabwe in a move that will see the trading bloc extending 234 million Euros (about 300 million dollars) to support programmess in the country.

President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace, however, still remain on the EU restrictive measures which are due for review next February, Xinhua quoted EU ambassador to Zimbabwe Philipe Van Damme as saying in a press conference.

He said the lifting of the appropriate measures under Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement which governs relations between the two sides will pave way for Zimbabwe to benefit from the 11th European Development Fund for the period 2015 to 2020.

"The EU Council confirms that appropriate measures will indeed be lifted this weekend," he said beginning next year until 2020 the EU will inject $300 million in development aid targeting health, agriculture and governance.
 
"We have reached a very important stage in the normalisation of our relations with Zimbabwe," Van Damme said.
 
"We can now fully engage on development policies of this government."
 
"We have to find ways to rebuild trust. Let's move forward towards normalisation of relations," he said while warning that change will not happen overnight.
 
"It will take time to rebuild trust."
 
Over the years, the European bloc has lifted the restrictions on some individuals and entities but Mugabe has said he wants the total removal of the sanctions.

The lifting of the measures which were imposed in 2002 following political differences with Harare is with effect from Nov 1, 2014.