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David Miliband
(Archived), LondonZimbabwe: South Africa mediates on reform process
President Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai signed up to a package of reforms in 2008. But, as I have blogged in November, elements of Mugabe’s ZANU-PF frustrated its implementation, prompting Tsvangirai to appeal for the support of South Africa, which negotiated the original agreement.
I welcome South Africa’s constructive role and its support for reform in Zimbabwe. It has now brokered a further agreement on establishing human rights, electoral and media commissions, and on media and land reform. I encourage all parties in Zimbabwe to implement this agreement. It can make a real difference to the lives of ordinary people.
Last year we gave £60m to Zimbabwe. We will continue to do what we can to help secure a brighter, more prosperous future for the country.
David Miliband
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10 January 2010
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Violence in Zimbabwe
On 16 October the Movement for Democratic Change disengaged from the inclusive government in Zimbabwe. Since then there has been an increase in ZANU-PF-orchestrated violence and human rights abuses.
In particular, ZANU-PF has targeted civil society activists, MDC members, farm workers and trade union leaders. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and to urge the Government of Zimbabwe to comply with international human rights standards - including by guaranteeing a fair trial for those prosecuted.
The Southern African region has a key role to play. I urge it to assume responsibility for supporting implementation of the Global Political Agreement, including the provisions aimed at restoring democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights.
The outcomes of the regional Maputo Summit on 5 November are encouraging - leaders signalled their clear support for reform in Zimbabwe, and the MDC re-engaged with the inclusive government. South Africa and the region need to remain committed to the goal of a reformed Zimbabwe.
David Miliband
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12 November 2009
17 November 2009
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EU in Zimbabwe
I welcome the EU mission to Zimbabwe. The representatives played their cards well - supporting the global political agreement, but making enhanced EU support contingent on its implementation. The team recognised political realities, meeting both President Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai.
But they also made clear that they backed reform, and that the measures targeted on the Mugabe elite could not be lifted as a prelude to the return to the status quo ante. The EU is the world's second biggest aid donor. It will need to play an important role in the reconstruction of Zimbabwe. And it needs to do it step by step.
David Miliband
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16 September 2009
18 September 2009
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Shaking Hands with the Zimbabwean Government
Yesterday I met Tendai Biti, Secretary General of the MDC and Minister of Finance in the new transitional government. His economic responsibilities are massive - but the use of Dollars and Rand as hard currency has brought inflation down from crushing levels and brought food and goods back into the shops.
His economic plan is a good basis for progress. But politics hold the key - whether Prime Minister Tsvangirai and his colleagues are able to exercise the power for which the Zimbabwean people voted, and which the agreement to a transitional government provides. That is the basis for the re-engagement of the international community on which Zimbabwe depends.
David Miliband
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02 May 2009
03 May 2009
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Good news from Zimbabwe?
This article in the Times by Jan Raath suggests things might be turning in Zimbabwe. We shall see. We have always said that we should be ready to support a government which is serving the interests of the Zimbabwean people and that remains the case.
David Miliband
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30 March 2009
02 April 2009
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Death of Mrs Tsvangirai
David Miliband
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10 March 2009
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Zimbabwe: Rhetoric and Reality
The UN Security Council re-started its engagement with Zimbabwe on Monday - not a moment too soon. The cholera (and now anthrax) that threatens neighbouring countries is proof if any were needed after 4 million refugees that the Zimbabwe crisis is a crisis for the whole of southern Africa. The Security Council is not yet close to taking action - divisions are still too deep. But the rhetoric of Mugabe that cholera is 'over' is gut-wrenching when you read the reports of what is actually happening in the country. For a flavour of reality see the two FCO bloggers , Grace Mutandwa and Philip Barclay
David Miliband
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19 December 2008
20 December 2008
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The next chapter of Zimbabwe's future is for Zimbabweans to write now
I spoke to our Ambassador in Harare today. Zimbabwe's story always seems to have another page to turn. Since Monday's signature, the parties have been locked in discussions over Ministerial responsibilities. Ordinary Zimbabweans and the outside world are waiting to hear the outcome.
Zimbabwe's people need a government that works in their interests. We, the outside world, need a functioning administration with which to engage. If a new government can let NGOs get food out to people and can deliver macroeconomic stability, then all of Zimbabwe's friends can give Zimbabwe more of the support its people need. As the second largest bilateral donor, Britain's been trying to deliver food aid of course. But more international help will come if the new administration can show everyone it is serious about change.
The next chapter of Zimbabwe's future is for Zimbabweans to write now . We'll keep working to make it a positive one.
David Miliband
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18 September 2008
19 September 2008
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Zimbabwe: Chink of light?
I saw on arrival in Brussels today that everyone was on tenterhooks for the details of the Mugabe–Tsvangirai deal on the future of Zimbabwe, brokered under South African auspices. That is not an exaggeration. The suffering has gone on so long that many people could not see any change coming. But it seems that some time last week there was a shift. The pressure for recognition of Morgan Tsvangirai’s democratic legitimacy has finally yielded him real power. Or so it seems.
The Europe response is cautious - necessarily so given the history of coalition governments in Zimbabwe. But we will be there as change shows itself to be real – above all real – offering hope to the Zimbabwe people.
David Miliband
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16 September 2008
16 September 2008
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European Action1: Zimbabwe
European Foreign Ministers agreed sanctions on travel and finance relating to key members of the Mugabe regime in Brussels this week. This is intended to make clear continued international determination to balance up the competing forces in Zimbabwe – an opposition which won the parliamentary and presidential elections and a government that has turned on its own people. In the light of the welcome news of a negotiating process being established in Harare, the need for clear pressure on the regime is increased. We all want the negotiations to succeed, but no one believes they will unless there is real pressure on the government to recognise the will of the people.
David Miliband
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26 July 2008
31 July 2008
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Kenya: From crisis to leadership
David Miliband
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08 August 2008
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Mediation or pressure?
The vote at the UN yesterday on Zimbabwe was not a North/South split - after all Burkino Faso voted for the resolution. But it did reveal, in the use of the veto by Russia and China, two different ways of thinking about the exercise of responsibility in the modern world.
The argument at one level was about whether to give mediation "longer". But how much longer? And how much more suffering in the interim?
But there is a more fundamental point - or two actually. First, since when does pressure on a regime that has been flagrant in its abuse of human rights and democratic standards undermine mediation? Surely it brings home much more clearly that the world is determined to tilt the balance away from a government that has forfeited international respect? But second, the argument of China and Russia was that the Security Council had no business "interfering" in a national issue. But the crisis in Zimbabwe has gone way beyond that - not least through three million plus refugees caught up in the violence fleeing to South Africa (see above "If your neighbour's house is on fire" of 8 July).
The Russian and Chinese vetoes have shielded Robert Mugabe and 13 of his top supporters from international pressure. Their preferred route of mediation will have the chance to prove itself - too late for too many but no one will be happier than I if I wake up one day soon and find that this route has delivered a government that respects the March 29 election result.
Meanwhile the governments of western and other democracies should have no regrets about bringing into the open a vital debate. The alternative is for the threat of veto to mean we all clam up and pretend that there is no disagreement. That is not real diplomacy.
David Miliband
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13 July 2008
13 July 2008
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Second liberation
Nelson Mandela talked in his book Long Walk to Freedom of the second liberation struggle, from winning political equality to tackling economic and social inequality. That is the challenge for today's South Africa, and was the focus of my speech today at the University of South Africa (founded in 1874, now providing distance learning to some 275,000 africans).
Africa's problems can seem mountainous: on aids, crime, education, there is massive challenge. But in South Africa there are also massive resources, not least the goodwill of the world that wants to be part of the solution.
The questions from students were revealing. Is Zimbabwe's crisis Britain's fault? Why shouldn't Africa find independent solutions?
Trust needs to be earned, not assumed, especially for the generation that is too young to know the way important parts of the world rallied to the anti apartheid cause. That is an important part of the rationale for the UK-South Africa bilateral forum that this year brings together five government departments (health, sport, trade, home affairs and the FCO) along with representatives from British and South African civil society (focusing on climate change, peace and security, economic development). I attended the first bilateral forum in an advisory capacity in Cape Town in 1999. This relationship is worth the investment, because there are few problems in Africa that will be solved without South Africa.
David Miliband
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08 July 2008
09 July 2008
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If your neighbour's house is on fire...
I was told today about an old Soto proverb - that if your neighbour's house is on fire then your house is on fire. Today Zimbabwe feels like it is being set alight by brutal intimidation and political repression, never mind economic meltdown.
Yesterday I met some of the 2000 refugees from Zimbabwe seeking refuge in the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg. Their stories are harrowing: death of loved ones, threats to life and livelihood. The Bishop told me of an upsurge in the last week/ten days of orphans arriving at the church. (He also told me about teachers among the refugees setting up care and teaching for refugee children). I also saw the social strains arriving from the mass exodus of 2-3 million Zimbabweans into South Africa - in Alexandra township local residents at the scene of recent "xenophobic violence" talking about the danger posed to their society by foreigners.
Mugabe has never been weaker or more isolated yet his hold on the central institutions of state power - central bank, army command - mean he is not yet out of power. That makes the discussions at the UN this week especially important. Travel and financial sanctions on named members of the regime - plus an international arms embargo - would put the squeeze on the regime in a way that they have not been squeezed before.
Nine votes are needed ... without a veto from any of the permanent members of the UNSC.
David Miliband
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08 July 2008
08 July 2008
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Trillion Dollar Bail
We will address Zimbabwe and add the G8 voice to growing numbers of Africans (now led by Nelson Mandela) decrying the leadership of Robert Mugabe. The economic descent of the country can be seen by the bail terms for MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti - a $1000 (bin) bail sets you back 100GBP. By next week that would be a fraction given 8 million percent inflation.
David Miliband
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28 June 2008
01 July 2008
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08 January 2010