Gordon Brown has pledged an extra £5 million to aid Zimbabwe’s democratic and social reforms.
Mr Brown announced the additional funding after meeting his Zimbabwean counterpart Morgan Tsvangirai at Downing Street this morning - the first time Prime Ministers of the two countries have met at Number 10 for 25 years.
The funding comes as a result of what Mr Brown described as the “great signs of progress” that Zimbabwe has shown since February’s power-sharing deal between President Robert Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai.
The additional aid, which includes textbooks for new schools and money to build greater food security, brings the UK’s transitional help to the country this year to £60 million.
The Prime Minister said:
“Zimbabwe’s new government has set out for itself…a clear roadmap for reform. Britain wants to help Zimbabwe meet these commitments. We want to see Zimbabwe prosper. We want to see the emergence of a free society and genuine democratic politics, and there have been great signs of progress.”
But he warned that the UK would remain vigilant for signs of a return to repression.
Mr Brown said:
“Our support for reform in Zimbabwe does not mean we will turn a blind eye to human rights abuses, corruption and bad governance.”
Mr Tsvangirai said his country was already changing and emphasised his commitment to continuing the reforms.
He said:
“I want to assure you that we are in the process - an irreversible process - towards consolidating the democratic values. I am conscious of the shortcomings in the fulfillment of the benchmarks we have set ourselves… but I can assure you that we will be working very hard to ensure that those conditions are fulfilled.”
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