US, Germany give millions promise more if GPA honoured

The worlds richest nations are also prepared to give generously in order to assist this process. It has been made abundantly clear to Tsvangirai that aid will be forthcoming only if and when there is demonstrable progress towards the rule of law and respect for human rights in Zimbabwe. US President Barack Obama came straight to the point when he welcomed the Prime Minister to the White House last week:

The United States is a friend to the people of Zimbabwe. I’ve committed US$73 million in assistance to Zimbabwe. It will not be going to the government directly because we continue to be concerned about consolidating democracy, human rights, and rule of law, but it will be going directly to the people in Zimbabwe and I think can be of assistance to the Prime Minister in his efforts. He’s going to continue to provide us with direction in ways that he thinks we can be helpful. And I’m grateful to him for his leadership, for his courage, and I’m looking forward to being a partner with him in the years to come.
Tsvangirai is only the second African leader to have been welcomed to the White House since Obama took over. Analysts say the US Presidents warm words of praise for the Zimbabwean leader represent a remarkable diplomatic triumph.

Obamas message to Tsvangirai has received worldwide media coverage. He said:
There was a time when Zimbabwe was the bread basket of Africa and continues to have enormous potential. It has gone through a very dark and difficult period politically. The President – President Mugabe – I think I’ve made my views clear, has not acted oftentimes in the best interest of the Zimbabwean people and has been resistant to the kinds of democratic changes that need to take place.

We now have a power-sharing agreement that shows promise, and we want to do everything we can to encourage the kinds of improvement not only on human rights and rule of law, freedom of the press and democracy that is so necessary, but also on the economic front. The people of Zimbabwe need very concrete things — schools that are reopened, a health care delivery system that can deal with issues like cholera or HIV/AIDS, an agricultural system that is able to feed its people. And on all these fronts, I think the Prime Minister is committed to significant concrete improvement in the day-to-day lives of the people of Zimbabwe.

In an unmistakable message of abhorrence of the Zanu (PF) regime, Obama refused to see Mugabes emissary, Walter Mzembi, who accompanied Tsvangirai on his tour.

Germany pledges E30million (can you do a euro sign Jackie pse) and in the copy below German Chancellor Angela Merkel received Tsvangirai with full military honours and pledged some Euro30 million (US$41,5 million) to be used to improve the education, health and farming sectors. She assured him of the German governments full support for his pro-democracy work in Zimbabwe.

Merkel also highlighted the ongoing controversial and chaotic land invasions as a cause for concern, and spoke of the need to return to its rightful owners the land expropriated under President Robert Mugabes Zanu (PF) government.
She described Tsvangirai as a ‘symbol of democratisation’ in Zimbabwe, and added there were some encouraging signs following the formation of the unity government four months ago.
Merkel said wherever possible Germany would support Zimbabweans, but this was dependent on further democratic advances in the country.
It is pleasing that the situation is such that inflation has regressed, schools and hospitals have reopened, such that you can say something has got underway in the last months. We want to help in this process. But it is important that we get a feeling as to how good progress is, she said.

Tsvangirai also met the German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, who announced that Germany would give the World Bank Euro20 million (US$27.6 million) to help Zimbabwe, along with Euro5 million to buy seed and fertiliser for small-scale farmers.
He left Berlin for Stockholm, Sweden on Monday night. During his European tour, Tsvangirai is also due to meet British Premier Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Today, Thursday, Tsvangirai is scheduled to visit Brussels for talks with European Union officials. He is scheduled to meet Jos Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, or Louis Michel, the European commissioner for development and humanitarian aid. He will also meet Javier Solana, the EU’s foreign policy chief.