Are Zimbabwean relations with the West thawing?
By Delicious Mathuthu
The decades long cold relations between Zimbabwe and Western countries, led by Britain, seem to be thawing following a recent agreement to host the Nordic-Africa Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting in Harare next year.
After more than 20 years of frosty relations between the two sides, Nordic countries’s Foreign Affairs Ministers have agreed to meet in Harare for the 22nd Nordic-Africa Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting in 2025.
Speaking after the grouping’s 21st meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Frederick Shava, said the grouping has agreed to be hosted in Zimbabwe.
“We have just finished a successful meeting between the Nordic countries and the African countries Ministers of Foreign Affairs and in the conclusion it has been decided that the next meeting will be held in Zimbabwe next year. So we are elated,” Minister Shava said.
The move, which is usually unpopular with opposition forces in Zimbabwe, has been viewed by some critics and analysts as change of policy towards the African nation.
One of these critics, outspoken Journalist, film maker and social media activist, Hopewell Chino’no, who is not a fan of the incumbent government in Zimbabwe, said the move by the Nordic countries is a result of a defunct opposition which has left their erstwhile Western allies with no option but to re-engage the Zanu Pf administration.
Posting on his X handle, Chino’no said Zimbabwe being part of the international community is a positive move which may reduce mis-governance in the country.
“…Western countries are repositioning their relations with the Zimbabwean government not because it has changed its ways, but because there is no viable alternative route for engagement in Zimbabwe! The opposition is dead like a dodo!” He said.
“It is a welcome move that Zimbabwe will host the Africa-Nordic countries meeting in Harare in 2025.
“It is better to have the regime inside the international community tent than outside. This will reduce the brutality and crude levels of governance,” Chino’no said.
Boasting of cordial ties with most foreign dignitaries in Zimbabwe, Chino’no also revealed that the British Minister for Africa could be visiting the country next month, another sign of thawing relations.
“I am told by my reliable sources that the British Minister for Africa will be coming to Zimbabwe in June, another point of departure from the frosty relationship that was there!
“There is a shift in international relations dynamics regarding Zimbabwe. Hosting the Africa-Nordic countries meeting in 2025 and the visit of the British Minister for Africa indicate a potential thaw in relations with key Western countries,” he said.
He further took swipes at both the ruling party Zanu Pf government and main opposition party in Zimbabwe, saying mis-governance tendencies by the incumbent could undo these country’s positive gains on international relations while opposition incompetence isolated them from key international bodies like the common wealth.
“It is now interesting to see how these developments might impact governance and international engagement moving forward, especially in the absence of a viable opposition.
“The funny thing is that after making these positive moves, ZANUPF will always have some idiot who will go ahead and reverse everything through some stupid decision like arresting someone unnecessarily,” he said.
“The opposition has been off-key on international issues for almost two years. It had not directly spoken to the Commonwealth throughout the lead-up to elections and post-election.
“That is an astounding level of incompetence and cluelessness… Zimbabwe is waiting for its readmission to be ruled on by the Commonwealth, signs are it will be brought back if it fixes a few things,” said Chino’no
Foreign countries pursue their interests, he added, if it is in the interest of the country or its organisation to deal with a rogue regime, it will do so; more so having ruled off any opposition party possible win in the 2028 elections.
Western countries, with Britain and the United States of America in the lead, imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe pointing to alleged human rights abuses by the Zanu Pf led government.
In turn, Zimbabwe refuted the accusations saying the sanctions were a punishment for its land reform programme which empowered blacks after taking land from white farmers.
The British government, along with the European Union and the United States, are mostly worried about China’s increasing influence in Zimbabwe as it expands its trade with Africa having overtaken the US in 2009.
The need for policy change towards Zimbabwe has of late taken centre stage in the British Parliament with fears that the two decades long attempt to isolate Zimbabwe from the international community and trade has opened doors for Chinese and Russian influence in the mineral rich country.
Speaking in the British Parliament, the House of Lords, one Lord St John of Bletso expressed concern that sanctions on Zimbabwe have not stopped President Mnangagwa’s alleged repressive government, but over the years have created an opportunity for China and Russia to exploit Zimbabwe’s vast mineral resources.
He called for a multi-party conference in Zimbabwe to promote inclusivity and address poverty, as the current approach has not been effective in improving the situation for most Zimbabweans.
