Then there have been significant visits by internationally reputable figures like Andrew Young and Jesse Jackson, coupled with a recent bold move by the US to lift business restrictions on Agribank and the Infrastructural Development Bank of Zimbabwe. Clearly, there are several other signals emanating from the West that might not have received as much publicity as these.
The re-engagement attempts are refreshing, considering our more than decade-long pariah-status. Needless to say, they are coming from a realisation that some of our political leaders are demonstrating a sense of maturity and a desire to see the country move forward.
The efforts signal a genuine desire for a win-win symbiosis, which is the basis of any positive international relationship. Clearly, there are benefits that the West reaps from cordial relations with Zimbabwe, but also mammoth opportunities this country can exploit by ceasing hostilities with that other part of the world.
The concept of a globalised village is not a myth. In today’s world, it is a reality – in fact a vital necessity for survival and prosperity. That is how it is, and we cannot afford to be stubborn to that reality.
We therefore urge ALL Zimbabweans, particularly the politicians, to accept the hand that has been proffered to us for the benefit of our nation and of us all. The West has demonstrated that it is serious – and so must we be.
It is disturbing to note that there are some among us who are still living in the past. When the EU removed targeted sanctions on most of those remaining, there were some who tried, in vain, to classify that as a divisive strategy, while other lame critics attempted to dismiss it as a sign of desperation by the West.
This is utter hypocrisy, considering that even at the height of the restrictive measures regime, Zimbabwe continued to benefit from numerous forms of interaction with the West. Re-engagement with the West does not translate to neo-colonialism or an attack on our sovereignty. Far from it. The reality is that it is to our benefit because we are located in the global village.
Post published in: Editor: Wilf Mbanga