The hate relationship between European Union and Zimbawe is now over as the two sides have suddenly decided to return to a cozy affair.
Mr Jobst Von Kirchmann the incoming European Union Ambassador to Zimbabwe on Wednesday presented credentials to President Emmerson Mnangagwa which he accepted.
“More and more European companies are coming to invest in Zimbabwe.This is as a result of good leadership of President Mnangagwa,” EU Ambassador Jobst Von Kirchmann said that Zimbabwe and Europe must continue with engagements because they are fruitful.
Zimbabwe has been under EU targeted sanctions since 2002 and again said in February 2022 that the situation in Zimbabwe had not changed under President Mnangagwa.
“Intimidation of political opposition and other government critics has continued to restrict the democratic and civic space, which is under threat of shrinking further through the Data Protection Act and ongoing legislative processes such as the Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill and the envisaged so-called Patriotic Act. The EU is concerned about these developments.”
However, on Wednesday after presenting his credentials, the new EU envoy said with the removal of sanctions, Zimbabwe and the EU can do more.
“Zimbabwe has a very ambitious Vision, which is the National Development Strategy (NDS) which wants to bring Zimbabwe towards an inclusive, empowered and prosperous upper middle income country by 2030. Team Europe stands ready to support that,” said Ambassador Kirchmann.
“My mission here is targeting constructive dialogue with Zimbabwe. I said this when the President said the EU no longer has sanctions on Zimbabwe, that is exactly what makes it possible for us to engage on trade aspects, we are the fourth largest Zimbabwean trading partner in the country,” he said.
Zimbabwe has for the past two decades attributed its long running economic crisis to the sanctions by Western countries. Besides the EU, the United States and the United Kingdom have maintained targeted sanctions against Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwe state mouth piece reported that the EU has abandoned confrontation with Harare.
