Commonwealth team heads for Zimbabwe to assess progress

A Commonwealth team is visiting Zimbabwe for the third time to assess the progress made since the southern African country’s application to join the group in 2018.

The delegation will be in Zimbabwe from 12-18 November 2022. The intended visit was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in a statement.

The statement reads:

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE PRESS STATEMENT ON THE VISIT TO ZIMBABWE BY THE COMMONWEALTH ASSESSMENT MISSION: 12 TO 18 NOVEMBER 2022

A Commonwealth Assessment Mission will be in Zimbabwe from 12 to 18 November 2022, at the invitation of His Excellency President E. D. Mnangagwa, to assess the progress that the country has made following the application it submitted in 2018 to rejoin the organisation.

The Mission, led by Assistant Secretary-General Professor Luis Franceschi, will be visiting the country for the third time, in line with Zimbabwe’s re-engagement thrust that seeks to reset and rekindle its foreign relations in order to create a conducive and supportive environment for the successful implementation of NDS1 and the realisation of Vision 2030.

During the visit, the Mission will meet with His Excellency the President and hold discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador F. M. Shava, and other ministers and senior government officials covering the political, legislative and economic reforms that the Government has implemented under the Second Republic.

It will also engage the media and other stakeholders on matters of interest to the organisation.

*Ambassador F. M. Shava Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Zimbabwe has for years been pushing for readmission into the commonwealth but it has repeatedly been told to implement requisite reforms which are premised on ensuring good governance.

Late former Zimbabwean strongman Robert Mugabe angrily pulled the country out of Commonwealth after Zimbabwe was suspended over human rights abuses.

Mugabe described the grouping as just a club.

Zwnews