Tsvangirais tough task courting West

Tsvangirai told the United States (US) Senate on Wednesday that walking away from the government would be tantamount to condemning millions of Zimbabweans to starvation and watching generations lose their right to education and employment opportunities.
Thus, we decided that we had to take the struggle for democracy into a new arena but this does not compromise our ideal to fight for democracy. Like Nelson Mandela, I agreed to work with a non-democratic regime as a transition to full democracy, he said ahead of Fridays meeting with US President Barack Obama.
The Zimbabwean premier is on a three-week tour of Europe and the US during which he hopes to reengage the West to support Harares economic recovery programme.
Tensions
He told the international media of tensions within the coalition government and conceded that Mugabe was not “the best of angels”.
Pleading for more financial help from the international community, Tsvangirai remained hopeful that the political underpinnings of the September 2008 power-sharing agreement between the two men remained strong.
Harare has said it requires about US$10 billion to revive its industry and resuscitate collapsed health, water and education facilities.
Much-needed budgetary support has however failed to materialise, with the cash-rich Western nations insisting on political reforms before loosening their purses.
University of Zimbabwe political scientist John Makumbe said Tsvangirai should use the trip to Europe and the US to convince the rich nations that lack of budgetary support for the unity government was not the best way to support Zimbabwes democratic forces.
Benchmarks
“The best way forward should be for him to convince the West to agree to short-term economic assistance probably covering the next six months and accompanied by a string of benchmarks that have to be met by the Zimbabwe government, the UZ professor told the Zimbabwean on Sunday.
He added: Tsvangirai should essentially be telling the West to support the inclusive government as the best way of shaming those who damaged the countrys economy during the past 10 years as well as those not keen on seeing the transitional regime succeed.
Western aid has been trickling in, mostly for humanitarian purposes and all of it bypassing the government. Tsvangirai said Harare needed between US$100 and US$150 million monthly to operate.
Tentative
Analysts said Tsvangirais trip should produce a tentative deal on softening the Western aid stance on Zimbabwe, warning that Mugabes Zanu (PF) party was anxiously waiting to pounce on his misfortunes and using his failure to court the West against him.
The trip is all a set up by Zanu (PF) which would want to see him come back empty-handed so that they gain political mileage and portray him as an ineffective leader. They would want to justify their Look East which they have used to plunder the countrys resources, said an analyst with a Harare-based financial services group.
While calling for the removal of travel restrictions imposed on Mugabe and senior officials of his Zanu (PF) party, Tsvangirai urged his partners in the coalition regime to also openly denounce infringements on peoples rights and ensure a return to the rule of law.
Those in our government who are personally listed, should join me in that stand. When they do, world support for the removal of all restrictions will be unstoppable, he said during the US visit.
Mugabe and nearly 200 of his lieutenants and companies associated with Zanu (PF) are subject to travel bans to Europe and the US as well as asset freezes in these countries.