EU brings Zimbabwe in from the cold after 13 years with $269m of cash aid

The European Union has given Zimbabwe $267 million, it said on Monday, the first time the bloc has given financial aid to the southern African nation’s government since imposing sanctions in 2002. The 28-nation EU has gradually eased biting sanctions on Zimbabwe to encourage political reform, although it has kept an asset freeze and a travel ban on veteran President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace, as well as an arms embargo. Since imposing the sanctions, the EU has shunned the government, and restricted its funding to charities only.

Does this mean that everything is suddenly sorted out and that we are entering a new honeymoon? No, we have cleared some obstacles in our partnership, and as in any partnership new problems may emerge, old problems may reappear.

EU ambassador to Zimbabwe Philippe Van Damme

Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party has long demanded the complete removal of EU sanctions it denounces as illegal. Finance Minister Finance Patrick Chinamasa said the aid marked a significant step towards improving ties between Zimbabwe and the EU but that sanctions on Mugabe and his wife would hurt full normalisation of relations. ”As long as the chief executive (Mugabe) remains under sanctions, our relations remain poisoned and unproductive,” Chinamasa said.

As long as the chief executive (Mugabe) remains under sanctions, our relations remain poisoned and unproductive.

Minister Finance Patrick Chinamasa

Zimbabwe eu Africa