The meeting heard that there had been no significant change to FCO policy on Zimbabwe since the start of the new UK government. The FCO would, it said, continue to work with South Africa and the international community in supporting the growth of a democratic, stable and prosperous country. There would be no pressure to amend the EU targeted measures, which would only be revised as the global political agreement in Zimbabwe progressed.
The DfID said it would continue to provide aid, but donors had expressed concern about Marange and the indigenisation proposals. The meeting heard that the UK government was urging the government of Zimbabwe to create a supportive regulatory environment for foreign investment. The Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act, as initially drafted, was a disincentive to business at a time when the government was trying to attract investment, although recent amendments appeared to take more account of industrys worries.
We are not opposed to the principle of economic empowerment of Zimbabweans, but to the way in which the current indigenisation proposals have been drafted, said a representative at the meeting.
[xhead]Step forward
It was stressed that the EU targeted measures of visa bans, asset freeze and arms embargo did not affect economic development. They were carefully targeted at 198 individuals and 31 associated companies implicated in human rights abuses. The EU last revised the measures in February when most state companies were removed from the list because their profits were now helping Zimbabwes economy.
There had been a major step forward, it was noted, with the appointment of the African Development Bank as manager of the Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) for infrastructure. The MDTF would provide the resources to finance rebuilding in Zimbabwe. The scheme was still being set up and money was not expected to come forward for at least six months.
The meeting heard that the UK government would support a credible land audit as called for in the political agreement, and the DfID was helping research land issues. Once a policy was recommended, it would be up to the inclusive government to carry out the audit.
The Department said it had no plans to help resettle or provide direct assistance to homeless farmworkers, but they were likely to get help from food security and livelihood projects.
[xhead]Return home
The Border Agency said ministers were still reviewing their policy and any major changes would be announced in Parliament.
Three Zimbabwean families were reported to have taken up the offer of cash support to help them return to Zimbabwe since the introduction, in April, of a new AVR scheme, aimed at people of all nationalities. Under the scheme, each family member gets up to 3,000. Around 85 per cent of people used the funds to start a business, but more flexibility had been introduced in how the funds can be used. Almost 400 Zimbabweans returned home voluntarily in 2009/10.
At the meeting, representatives from the Zimbabwean diaspora said Zimbabweans, both in the UK and globally, made the highest number of asylum claims of any nationality last year. They questioned whether the AVR package would ever be attractive to Zimbabweans while there remained political uncertainty in Zimbabwe.
The Border Agency clarified that Zimbabweans could use the AVR package to return to a third country as long as they were entitled to be there.
The Commonwealth Local Government Association (CLGF) explained how they worked in partnership with the UKs Local Government Association (LGA) and the Zimbabwe Urban Councils Association to strengthen local government in Zimbabwe. The LGA had some limited EU funding to help train local government officials in Zimbabwe. Work was being led by local councils in Zimbabwe, and they were keen to tap into the UK diaspora as a potential source of engineers, consultants and other professionals when money became available for rebuilding work in Zimbabwe.
A representative from the ZDFG said they would be happy to help produce a database of professional skills in the diaspora, and thought many would welcome an opportunity to volunteer their skills. Payment would be a bonus.
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