• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
  • WORLD DEMOCRACY
  • POLITICAL ART
  • more
    • election technology
    • money politics
    • political dissidents
    • THIRD PARTY
      • third party central
      • green party
      • justice party
      • libertarian party
    • voting methods
  • DC INFO
    • author central
    • about
    • advertise with DC
    • contact
    • privacy policy

Democracy Chronicles

Towards a New British-Zimbabwe Diplomatic Relationship

by Farai Chirimumimba - May 15, 2018

FacebookTweetLinkedInPin
British-Zimbabwe Diplomatic Relationship New
Photo of first government of Southern Rhodesia from 1924 – link

In an ever increasing globalized world marred by uncertainty and countless threats, relations between Britain and Zimbabwe are at an opportune moment to define what diplomacy and international relations should look like between two countries especially considering the colonial history of the two countries. After almost two decades of stalemate, evident change has come to Zimbabwe. British Prime Minister Theresa May now has found a credible ally, in new Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, to work to rebuild trust with former its colonial master. A closer feeling of union between the two nations can only serve to promote peace in the region and worldwide.

Relations between Harare and London became frosty in 1997 when the Labor government led by Mr. Tony Blair refused to honor obligations entered into with the Margaret Thatcher Conservative government who had committed to fund land reforms in Zimbabwe. The standoff was further compounded in early 2000 when the accelerated land reform program begun and accusations by former president Robert Mugabe that Britain was funding the opposition parties in Zimbabwe. This led to the government introducing the Political Parties Act of 2001 that barred foreign funding for political parties.

New British-Zimbabwe Diplomatic Relationship
2006 demonstration against Robert Mugabe’s regime in London – link

The re-engagement drive has intensified in recent months with Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Retired Lieutenant-General Sibusiso Moyo (the man who appeared last November on television announcing the coup), having visited London at the invitation of British Secretary of State Boris Johnson during the Commonwealth Heads of States and Government meeting last month. Zimbabwe’s main opposition and presidential candidate for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance Advocate Nelson Chamisa was in London this week where he also held a meeting with Boris Johnson focusing on Britain-Zimbabwe relations ahead of harmonized elections in July/August in Zimbabwe.

The vocal criticism of human rights abuses and violations that led to the so called “ethical foreign policy” seem to be slowly becoming history although Britain and allies still insist that full diplomatic channels will only be opened if the harmonized elections are declared free, fair and credible.

Following this improved start, the long-overdue idea of British-Zimbabwe diplomacy should be formulated and unleashed as a tool of foreign policy globally. As alluded to above, the early 2000 accelerated land reform issue is at the center of the quarrel between the two nations. However, despite this quarrel which Britain internationalized and eventually led to the enactment of the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001 by the United States Congress which imposed economic sanctions on Zimbabwe that need to be reviewed annually by the US president who can then choose to extend the sanctions by another year or completely remove them. Although geographically apart, the two countries historically maintain longstanding trade and cultural links.

As of this day and forward, Harare and London should design an ethical foreign policy that mutually benefits both states beyond the upcoming general elections in Zimbabwe. As globalization takes hold, cooperation and alliance amongst states is no longer a matter of choice, but is an absolute necessity for nation-states to develop and offer better living standards for their citizens.

In recent decades, however, Zimbabwe has seen an explosion in population growth with a younger population making about 65 percent of the total population demanding jobs and economic uplift from their governments. To effectively address those needs Zimbabwe has no other viable option than vying for trade and business linkages with their counterparts like Britain, attracting foreign direct investment inflows into Zimbabwe; but also collaborating on security concerns and tackling the increased complexity of our era brought about by technology among other factors.

Britain and Zimbabwe could offer a start, in softening such inter-linkages via Britain-Zimbabwe politico-economic and monetary collaboration immediately after the national elections. On the diplomatic front, there is an old adage that state that there is strength in alliances and Britain-Zimbabwe diplomacy could soon be a force to be reckon with in African and international diplomacy. The multidimensional and complexities of issues facing Zimbabwe can no longer be solved by internal actions alone. For states to succeed and prosper in this environment rather requires multilateral solutions, partnerships and alliances to confront those challenges and Zimbabwe is not an exception.

FacebookTweetLinkedInPin

Filed Under: DC Authors Tagged With: Africa, Colonialism, England, Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe

About Farai Chirimumimba

Farai Chirimumimba is a journalist based in Zimbabwe. He researches and writes about political and security dynamics in Zimbabwe, drawing from his background in peacebuilding and conflict transformation for sustainable development. As a journalist and researcher, Farai also has special interests on knowledge of technical aspects on governance and electoral issues in Africa. He has been writing for Democracy Chronicles since early 2017. Farai is also a reporter for Spiked Online Media based in Zimbabwe.

Some highlighted Democracy Chronicles topics

Africa American Corruption American Local Elections American State Elections Asia Capitalism and Big Business Celebrity Politics China Democracy Charity Democracy Protests Democrats Dictatorships Education Election History Election Methods Election Security Election Transparency Europe Internet and Democracy Journalism and Free Speech Middle East Minority Voting Rights Money Politics New York City and State Elections Political Artwork Political Dissidents Political Lobbying Redistricting Republicans Russia Socialism and Labor Social Media and Democracy South America Spying and Privacy Supreme Court Third Party Voter Access Voter ID Voter Registration Voter Suppression Voter Turnout Voting Technology Women Voting Rights Worldwide Worldwide Corruption

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. David Anderson says

    May 31, 2018 at 5:56 pm

    Good article, Farai, v. informative.
    I’d never heard of our US 2000 Act in response to Z.’s gvt policies.
    Now is a good time for Z -UK rapprochement given the UK is nearly out of friends with Brexit.
    Keep the articles coming.
    David Anderson
    NYC

    Reply
  2. Farai Chirimumimba says

    June 1, 2018 at 2:29 am

    @David, many thanks

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Home | DC AUTHORS | Towards a New British-Zimbabwe Diplomatic Relationship

Primary Sidebar

Advertise button

Harnessing The Power Of “We The People” On Independence Day

By Jenna Spinelle July 3, 2022

Democracy does not have a singular definition, which is one of the things that makes it so interesting to me — and undoubtedly to many of you.

Florida Doesn’t Need a Speech Czar

By Steve Schneider June 28, 2022

Full disclosure: I’m a liberal Democrat. So, I won’t be sending in my vote-by-mail ballot for Ron DeSantis in November. Nor will I vote for him in 2024.

democracy chronicles newsletter

DC AUTHORS

Introducing: When The People Decide

By Jenna Spinelle June 25, 2022

Several activists and average citizens have changed their communities and the country by taking important issues directly to votes.

Democracy’s Summer Blockbusters

By Jenna Spinelle June 8, 2022

The summer will be legally and politically charged particularly with the January 6 committee hearings scheduled to begin June 9.

Can American Democracy Have Nice Things?

By Jenna Spinelle June 7, 2022

Universal voting would be the surest way to protect against voter suppression and the active disenfranchisement of a large share of our citizens.

PODCAST: Baby Boomers And American Gerontocracy

By Jenna Spinelle May 23, 2022

Older and younger voters are increasingly at odds: Republicans as a whole skew gray-haired, and within the Democratis, the left-leaning youth vote.

A Dangerous Reprise Of American Exceptionalism In Ukraine

By Jamie Lampidis May 15, 2022

The stakes are too high to cave into Putin’s phantasmatic imperial play, and too high to believe that this war can be won by arming Ukrainians.

On The Coming End Of Roe v. Wade

By Peter J. Dellolio May 11, 2022

Anyone who says that the evolution of law has nothing to do with politics is either very corrupt or very stupid. Laws evolved through the centuries.

Goodbye Roe v. Wade, Goodbye Rule Of Law

By Andrew Straw May 5, 2022

Congress should impeach judges who act like that because it is not good behavior, and they were asked not to act that way when they were confirmed.

MORE FROM OUR AUTHORS

VISIT OUR POLITICAL ART SECTION:

dc political art

DEMOCRACY CULTURE

India: Why Are Punjab Political Singers Under Attack?

India: Why Are Punjab Political Singers Under Attack?

June 8, 2022

The murder of Sidhu Moose Wala has brought attention to the link between Punjabi music and India’s cross-border criminal networks.

University Educated Less Likely To Endorse Authoritarianism

University Educated Less Likely To Endorse Authoritarianism

June 4, 2022

Higher education is now seen as a new political cleavage, with level of education increasingly important in describing political attitudes.

From Cake To Volunteers, Welcome To Australia’s Democracy Day

From Cake To Volunteers, Welcome To Australia’s Democracy Day

May 25, 2022

The atmosphere in the interstate polling booth in Sydney’s inner east resembled that of an emergency room waiting for a donor organ.

Kenyan 'Cartooning For Peace' To Draw Africa Towards Democracy

Kenyan ‘Cartooning For Peace’ To Draw Africa Towards Democracy

May 17, 2022

Cartooning is an art that has been playing a major role in illustrating stories in different ways, from health to politics, and even sports.

Anxious Leaders Influence Their Followers' Anxiety, Even Online

Anxious Leaders Influence Their Followers’ Anxiety, Even Online

May 17, 2022

Organizational leader’s tweets can influence employee anxieties and this effect is more prominent since the rise of COVID-19, study.

MORE CULTURE

VISIT OUR US DEMOCRACY SECTION:

American Democracy