Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara said Mr Pocock told him
yesterday that the British government would be very supportive of the
inclusive Government and would do all it can to ensure its success.
The announcement is a major boost to Sadc finance ministers who will,
tomorrow, present Zimbabwe’s case at the International Monetary Fund
and World Bank spring meetings in Washington DC to source funding for
the country’s economic turnaround programme and restoration of the
country’s lines of credit.
Briefing journalists after meeting the British ambassador, DPM
Mutambara said Mr Pocock indicated that London was prepared to engage
Zimbabwe to end the bilateral stand-off.
"They will not vote against Zimbabwe at the WB, IMF and IFC. They will behave well," DPM Mutambara said.
He said the British government was not putting any preconditions on
Zimbabwe but was interested in seeing a "general directional
correctness".
"They want to see signs of effective inclusiveness," said DPM Mutambara.
He said Mr Pocock had indicated that his government was willing to go
beyond humanitarian assistance by helping with the payment of teachers’
salaries and assisting Government to improve revenue collection systems.
Mr Pocock, however, said Zimbabweans should play their part in
addressing all outstanding issues under the Global Political Agreement.
The Deputy Premier said the outstanding issues were not insurmountable.
"In summary, we had a progressive meeting. The British are clear in
their minds that there is no alternative government to this inclusive
Government," said DPM Mutambara.
Asked to comment on strides made by the inclusive Government, DPM
Mutambara said progress was evident in the introduction of the
Short-Term Economic Recovery Programme last month and the 100-Day
Action Plan agreed at a ministerial retreat in Victoria Falls earlier
this month.
He said Zimbabwe was not on the edge but there was need to address matters that had damaging the country’s image.
"Let us not ask what other nations can do for Zimbabwe. The future of Zimbabwe depends on us working on our issues," he said.
Mr Pocock refused to speak to journalists.
Earlier, DPM Mutambara met South African Ambassador Professor Mulungisi Makhalima to discuss bilateral issues.
DPM Mutambara said Zimbabwe would hold a two-day conference bringing
together the Government and the private sector with a view to harnessing private funds for investment in road construction, power generation and the water sector.
He said South Africa had agreed to send experts to the conference to
assist in the mobilisation of resources and to share best practices.
Indian and Chinese experts had also been invited to the conference.
South Africa has successfully incorporated the private sector in the
construction of roads, water and power infrastructure under the Build,
Operate and Transfer arrangement.
"We want to learn from South Africa," he said.
He said case studies from South Africa, India and China would be
deliberated upon during the conference, whose details would be
announced in due course.
Prof Makhalima described his meeting with DPM Mutambara as uplifting.
He said the meeting was designed to consolidate and deepen relations
between Harare and Tshwane.
allAfrica.com
Post published in: News