Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith(pictured)
JOHANNESBURG – Australia said on Monday it will provide US$5 million to Zimbabwe for business grants despite its continuing condemnation of President Robert Mugabe’s continuing rule.
“Humanitarian need in Zimbabwe remains enormous,” Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told reporters on Monday.”Australia continues to be concerned by the grave situation in Zimbabwe: there must be an end to politically motivated acts of violence and intimidation, human rights and the rule of law must be respected; constitutional law must proceed unhindered,” he added.
Smith said Australia had pledged the contribution – which will be used to finance private activities to boost the southern African country’s rural economy and address long-term food security needs – through the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF), an African-wide initiative led by the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
The fund provides matching grants to private sector businesses for commercially viable projects, which cannot get finance.
A long time critic of Mugabe’s rule, Smith said Australia was committed to assisting Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai rebuild Zimbabwe.
“We continue to be very concerned about the ongoing conduct of President Mugabe. We welcome very much that South Africa through its new president is taking a very keen interest in the oversight of the Global Political Agreement (GPA),” he said, referring to the pact that paved the way for power-sharing in Zimbabwe.
Australia has financial and travel sanctions in place against Mugabe and members of his
ZANU PF party inner circle whom it accuses of being complicit in the brutality of Zimbabwe’s past and continuing to obstruct economic and social reforms.
The latest contribution boosts Australia’s aid to Zimbabwe to US$33 million since February 2009 when Mugabe and Tsvangirai formed the inclusive government that has managed to stabilise the economy although it continues to be dogged by squabbles over the implementation of the GPA.
The coming into office of the new administration led to greater cooperation between the international humanitarian community and the Zimbabwean authorities, improvement in the country’s socio-economic and humanitarian situation, and improved humanitarian access to vulnerable populations. – ZimOnline
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