Oxfam reaction to the AU Summit

The recently introduced multi-currency economy by the government of Zimbabwe has led to significant improvement of commodity availability on the market, however with an unemployment rate of 94%, the majority of poor people have limited access to foreign currency. We appeal to African leaders to lobby donors to support the implementation of combined food assistance and support to agricultural recovery.

While we acknowledge donor reluctance to directly fund the inclusive government, we urge them to find creative ways of giving it support and build its capacity. Mechanisms such as the newly created multi-donor trust fund, technical assistance to government departments, direct support to local levels of government, support to local and international agencies and NGO’s as well as the private sector must be explored.

We emphasise that support from the international community must be balanced against definitive steps by the inclusive government to improve respect of civil rights and dignity, return to the rule of law, and increase the operating space for civil society and the media.

While the inclusive government has made progress in implementing the Global Political Agreement (GPA) in particular institution of the constitutional making process, formulation of a recovery plan and initiation of the healing process, there are still challenges to the socio-economic and political stabilisation of the country. We appeal to the AU together with SADC as guarantors of the GPA to ensure that the principals to the agreement remain committed to its the implementation for peace and security in the country and the region.