Tsvangirai re-engages EU for first time in seven years
By Tichaona Sibanda
18 June 2009

The Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was in Brussels, Belgium on Thursday where he re-established contact with the presidium of European Union.

These were the first official talks between the EU and Zimbabwe in seven years. The EU delegation was headed by Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief and included several commissioners.

Solana assists the Council in foreign policy matters, and also acts on its behalf in conducting political dialogue with third parties. The EU commissioner for development and humanitarian aid Louis Michel said, after talks with Tsvangirai, that the meeting laid the foundation for a renewed relationship between the European Union and Zimbabwe.

Michel warned however, that clear progress was needed on ‘certain sticking points.’ A number of sticking points remain in the Global Political Agreement; mainly the reappointment of Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono and the hiring of Attorney-General Johannes Tomana.
Last month Tsvangirai said the negotiations on the outstanding issues were a ‘slow and frustrating process.’ The EU on Wednesday waived a travel ban on Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa and two other ministers on the eve of a major meeting in the Belgian capital.
The EU slapped a travel ban on Mugabe and over 150 of his senior lieutenants following a contested presidential ballot in 2002 which, it said, Mugabe won unfairly after brutalising his opponents.

Chinamasa was expected to join Tsvangirai’s delegation, which also includes fellow ZANU PF member and Foreign affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Finance Minister Tendai Biti and Economic Planning Minister Elton Mangoma, on Thursday morning. They are set to meet with EU Ministers for further re-engagement talks.

Commenting on the visa waiver for Chinamasa and Mumbengegwi, Stephane Toulet, the French Deputy Ambassador to Zimbabwe said the arrangement was just temporary.

“It was a decision made after a consultation of all EU partners in Zimbabwe and Brussels. The decision is meant to promote human rights and good governance in Zimbabwe and to re-engage Zimbabwe with the EU,” Toulet said.