22 June 2009
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe told his British counterpart in London on Monday that his country was engaged in "an irreversible process" of consolidating democratic values.
Speaking to journalists after meeting Gordon Brown at the prime minister's office at 10 Downing Street, Tsvangirai said he was "conscious of the shortcomings in the fulfilment of the benchmarks we have set ourselves..."
But he insisted that the unity government into which he has entered with President Robert Mugabe has begun to institute political and economic reforms. "Although this is not a perfect arrangement... it's a workable arrangement," he said.
He also condemned the police beatings and arrests of women protesting in Harare and Bulawayo last week under the auspices of the activist group, Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA).
Brown was the latest in a succession of Western leaders Tsvangirai has met during a tour of Europe and the United States this month. He has held talks with government leaders in the Netherlands, the United States, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and at the European Union headquarters in Belgium.
President Barack Obama of the U.S. announced a U.S. $73 million aid package when Tsvangirai visited the White House, and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany offered 20 million euros ($28 million).
Prime Minister Brown followed this up on Monday by announcing an increase in British aid to 60 million pounds ($100 million), five million pounds ($8 million) of which is new money for food security and educational supplies and textbooks.
Brown told Tsvangirai during a news conference that "you and the reformers in your interim government represent hope for the people of Zimbabwe."
There were "great signs of progress," Brown added, but he said he wanted to see "the entire government taking further rapid steps forward."
He made further assistance to Zimbabwe conditional upon more reforms: "We are prepared to go further in offering more transitional support if the reform programme on the ground gains momentum," he said.
Outlining steps Britain wanted to see, Brown cited reforms to the central bank and "genuine progress" on human rights, freedom of the media and in the repeal of repressive laws. He added that Britain wanted to see a new constitution within 18 months, new elections as soon as possible after that, and an end to land seizures.
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I wish some politicians would learn to SAY THANK YOU FOR THE MONEY THEY HAVE SCROUNGED- it does not cost them anything out of their pockets to do it! it is so sickening when u hear what they have done to money from the Global fund
DickinSon! aka Jellyboobs! You said "Zimbabweans don't need to beg for bones from what you'd call the "West."
Death to aid! "
Why do you give Gordon Brown his £60million pounds back if you dont think Zimbabwe needs it!
But wait... whats that.. .aaaah yes. Greed. You're not going to give it back are you, you're going to see how much of it you can steal arent you!
Haha.
Zimbabweans of all walks of life should strive to work for tangible democracy, rule of law and human rights. Anything less to this benchmark leads to corruption and total unfairness. It is now important for us as Zimbabweans to work hard to eliminate all sources of corruption and prepare ourselves for equal opportunities. It is also this time that we should be realistic and do away with such stupid myths like obtaining diesel directly from the ground without the need for refineries. Our Children should now go to school so that we can develop a worthwhile resource base for the country, not what we have experienced in the past few years where pseudo war credentials qualifies one to be an economist, industrial expert or international relations expert. Let us slot ourselves appropriately within the fabric of our society and indeed in the world.
Tsvangi used to claim that he held keys to unlock the economic sanctions he called for to Zimbabwe..What happenned to those keys?,The imposers have changed locks, they're refusing to lift the economic sanctions with rigid determination..All they now do is hype about humanitarian aid becoz of a guilty conscience of the untold suffering their economic embargo is inflicting on innocent zimbabweans..This western induced suffering was mearnt to catapult that evil serpent-tsvangi to power make zimbabwe a western client state ruled by white house and 10 downing street who would reverse the gains of our revolution like the land reclamation..The British and Dutch settler farmers, The United States, Britain who poured huge amounts of money into MDC never imagined the possibility of their stooge-tsvangi being in the same gvt with people they were trying to depose..Tsvangi was catapulted to premier position thru sanctions but he has failed to give his western backers what they wanted that is President Mugabe's head, and land..People of Zim will set up a new constitution that will finnally seal the land reform once and for all..
Mabhiza You are right brother, what MDC havs to contend with is the fact that sanctions makes a nation difficult to manage. It is sinister to assume Zimbabweans will be mesmerised by peanuts, and forget the source of our crisis.
The MDC induced sanctions have been meant to discredit Government and people of Zimbabwe will realise that true statesmanship is not brought in by illicitly inviting enemies to destroy the family silver. There are better ways of campaigning for support or sympathy. We might have been in a better position now. They are learning the hard way.
Moyondizvo no one has to destroy you Mugabe, Zanu-pf and your loyalists to them are doing just fine on your own... Stop crying about how the rest of the world is your problems when the root of the problem is within Zimbabwe and until the root of the problem is removed no matter how much people give the people of Zim will suffer..
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