Joint Press Statement On The 2nd Zimbabwe-European Union Political Dialogue Meeting {Full Text}

                                                            JOINT PRESS STATEMENT

The second Zimbabwe-European Union Political Dialogue Meeting took place in Harare on 21 November 2019.

The meeting provided for the continuation of a wide-ranging engagement on priorities, shared objectives and areas for collaboration including economic developments, trade and investment; human rights, democratisation, rule of law and good governance; development cooperation; humanitarian impact and climate change as well as global and regional matters.

The Zimbabwean side briefed on progress in the Government’s political, economic, electoral and legislative reform agenda and highlighted the financial challenges faced in implementing these reforms.

Further, the Zimbabwean side applauded the efforts by the Zimbabwean Anti-Corruption Commission in fighting corruption.

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The EU noted the existing economic and political reform challenges and expressed its wish to support Zimbabwe’s political and economic reform agenda, including the fight against corruption.

The two sides agreed on the importance of reforms and their benefit to the Zimbabwean people.

The two sides acknowledged the commitment to a national dialogue. The Zimbabwean side underlined the call by H.E. the President for all political parties to join the Political Actors Dialogue as a unity of purpose among Zimbabweans and political parties was central to the development of the country.

The EU expressed hope for a profound and inclusive national dialogue to develop a mutual vision for Zimbabwe’s path into the future.

Today’s meeting welcomed the recent developments between the EU and Zimbabwe, such as the additional USD 11 million in humanitarian aid to combat food insecurity announced in August and the additional USD 60 million of development aid to Zimbabwe in close partnership with the UN system and NGOs, to support the health sector and boost resilience in agriculture, announced in October.

The meeting welcomed the agreement by the EU and the five Eastern and Southern African States launch negotiations to deepen the scope of the interim Economic Partnership Agreement beyond trade in goods towards a more comprehensive partnership.

The formal Political Dialogue, which is now an integral part of the relations between the European Union and the Republic of Zimbabwe was conducted in an open, cordial and constructive atmosphere.

The EU-Zimbabwe Political Dialogue was co-chaired by Honourable July Moyo, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Minister of Local Government and Public Works, with the support of Honourable David Musabayana, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Honourable Clemence Chiduwa, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development and Permanent Secretaries and Senior Government Officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Finance and Economic Development; Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs; Local Government and Public Works; Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement; Health and Child Care; Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry; Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage and the EU Head of Delegation to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Timo Olkkonen, who was joined by the Heads of Mission of Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the Czech Republic.

In Harare, on 21 November 2019