The Australian government has insisted that Robert Mugabe must be out of Zimbabwe's political picture, before international aid will be available to help rebuild the country.
In an interview with the Zimbabwe Independent in Canberra, Australia this week, the country's Foreign Affairs Minister, Stephen Smith, said his government wanted Mugabe to go before financial aid for reconstruction can be extended to Zimbabwe.
"Our position is that Mugabe should move off the stage to allow a new beginning," he told the Independent on Tuesday. "The coalition government has failed to implement the global political agreement in full because of Mugabe. He should move off the stage if the country is to reengage with the international community."
Smith said Australia wanted democratic reforms to take root in Zimbabwe, leading to free and fair elections. In a recent ministerial statement in parliament, Smith said Australia was looking forward to seeing "a full and fair" election in the country.
"Despite Zimbabwe's modest recent progress, Australia remains deeply concerned that ZANU PF is not motivated to adhere to its obligations under the global political agreement," Smith said. "For that reason, Australia's long-standing position on financial and travel sanctions will not change."
These statements come ahead of a meeting of global superpowers, known as the 'Fishmongers', who are discussing Zimbabwe next month in Norway.
America, Britain, Japan, Germany, France, Sweden, Holland, Norway, Canada and Australia make up the Fishmongers Group and their meeting next Tuesday will deliberate on the state of the inclusive government, debt relief, public finance administration and the controversial indigenisation regulations.
Diplomatic sources quoted by the Independent said that the Fishmonger group was likely talk about increasing humanitarian aid to Zimbabwe.
The Fishmongers, also known as Friends of Zimbabwe, would not extend any financial help to revive the comatose economy "unless and until" the country returns to democracy. The group is chaired by the German ambassador to Zimbabwe, Albrecht Conze, who is expected to hand over the chairmanship to Barbara Richardson of Canada at the end of the Oslo meeting. The meeting will be attended by ambassadors of the respective countries, among other senior foreign affairs officials.
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Mugabe discples will see the Ausie as racist, but the fact is Mugabe is an accomplished beggar, and those who have conscience to give have a moral right to say under what conditions they can give. Mugabe begs in the name of Zimbos, but the aid never benefits anyone outside the man's inner circle. It seems the inner-circlers can either have Mugabe or aid but not both. Common sense says if a White is to benefit a Black the white must not see himself as epowering the black who then abuses his derived power. Blacks complained when Apartheid benefited Smith to the detriment of the blacks. Unless a white is a criminal fugitive from law I can't see him help a black whose main agenda is kill the whites. Come on Zimbos this is common sense
If the lord is for all races in the world,he must send a curse to the Australian government for wanting Mugabe out of Zim politics so that they continue stealing God given natural wealth.To the Aussies ,democracy ,human rights and rule of law only prevail only when a leader of an independent country allows them to dictate the economic policy to their advantage.The banning of the sale of diamonds from one of your mines in Zim makes you very angry but you are happy to make all efforts to bar Zim from selling diamonds from Chiadzwa to feed the nation.If all mines are nationalized the better for ZIM.
That's a lie. The selling of diamonds from Chidzwa brings no benefit to the country at all; only Maggot and his clownz. Biti has gone on record as saying that to date, the national treasury has not gotten a single cent of income from the diamond fields. Ask the Minister of Mines where all the money went?
Where's the beef?!
YES, it's absolutely true. The colonials all they care about is the wealth of Zimbabwe Minerial Resources; not the country or the suffering of the blacks africans. If they do, why won't the solve the situation in Zimbabwe by an Africa way of thinking and customs?? Why Not?? CRIMINALS do not shed lights on their dirty behaviours !!!
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