Zimbabwe’s Commonwealth Readmission Bid Opposed

UK Opposes Zimbabwe’s Commonwealth Readmission Over Governance and Human Rights Concerns

The United Kingdom has declared that Zimbabwe must undertake significant reforms in governance and human rights before it can rejoin the Commonwealth.

This decision effectively blocks Zimbabwe’s readmission, which requires unanimous approval from all Commonwealth member states.

Zimbabwe was suspended from the body in 2002 due to its political and human rights record.

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UK Challenges Commonwealth Secretariat’s Assessment

The Commonwealth Secretariat had recommended Zimbabwe’s readmission, allowing member countries until November 26 to express their views.

However, the UK’s Foreign Office disagreed with the Secretariat’s assessment, stating that the country has not made sufficient progress in upholding the principles outlined in the Commonwealth Charter, ZimLive reveals.

In a written response to a question by Baroness Kate Hoey in the House of Lords, the UK’s Foreign Office clarified its position:

“The UK has always been clear that we would like to see Zimbabwe return to the Commonwealth when the time is right. However, currently we do not share the Secretariat’s assessment of Zimbabwe’s progress or readiness in line with the shared values and principles laid out in the Commonwealth Charter.”

Unresolved Electoral and Governance Issues

The UK highlighted several shortcomings identified by the Commonwealth Election Observer Mission during Zimbabwe’s recent elections. These include:

Lack of independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
High candidate registration fees that hinder participation.
Deficiencies in judicial independence.
Lack of transparency in the announcement of election results.

The UK has recommended that a further Commonwealth assessment mission visit Zimbabwe in 2025 to evaluate progress in addressing these concerns.

Support for Reforms Still on the Table

Despite its stance on readmission, the UK expressed willingness to support Zimbabwe’s reform efforts.

“The UK strongly values our partnership with Zimbabwe and stands ready to support further reforms in this regard, through the Commonwealth and other fora,” the Foreign Office added.

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