Zim inches closer to rejoining C’wealth

Joseph Madzimure

Senior Reporter

ZIMBABWE has made “remarkable democratic progress” and would benefit from readmission into the Commonwealth, the bloc’s secretary-general, Ms Patricia Scotland, has said.

This comes at a time when Commonwealth leaders are pushing ahead with an attempt to bring Zimbabwe back into the organisation of 56 equal and independent countries.

Under the leadership of President Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe is vigorously engaging and re-engaging all nations and international organisations, and progress has been made on that front.

Commonwealth members are expected to give their views on Zimbabwe’s readmission by next  week.

“I now invite Heads of Government to make known to me their views on Zimbabwe’s request to re-join the Commonwealth,” Ms Scotland said in a letter to diplomats from Commonwealth member states last month, giving them a deadline of November 26 to reply.

If there are no objections, Ms Scotland said she will invite Zimbabwe to make a formal application, the final stage before it can rejoin the Commonwealth.

The statement, which outlines the results of the Commonwealth’s recent assessment missions to Zimbabwe, acknowledges several areas where reforms have been made, particularly in the political and legal  domains.

According to the document, the Commonwealth’s 2018, 2019, and 2022 membership assessment missions identified various priority areas for reform in Zimbabwe.

The report highlights that Zimbabwe has made notable strides in addressing some of the concerns previously raised by international stakeholders.

In addition, the report outlined the Government’s efforts in improving the political environment ahead of the 2023 elections.

The Commonwealth has stated its readiness to assist the Zimbabwean Government in furthering these reforms.

The statement emphasises that while there are still areas requiring attention, Zimbabwe has demonstrated a willingness to engage in reform processes.

“The Government has implemented numerous reform initiatives to address the polarised political environment and align Zimbabwe’s democratic institutions with international standards and Commonwealth  values.

“Particularly, issues related to media freedom, political environment, and constitutional amendments have been satisfactorily addressed,” reads the report.

Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth in 2002 after it embarked on the land reform programme.

A spokesperson for the Department of Global Affairs Canada, Mr James Wanki, said Canada was considering Ms Scotland’s recommendations.

“Our analysis will consider Commonwealth reporting on the situation in Zimbabwe, as well as other sources,” said Mr Wanki.

Ms Charmaine Wright, a spokesperson for the Commonwealth Secretariat, said the report by Ms Scotland was being kept confidential because it is for the consideration of Commonwealth member states to help them make an “informed decision” about Zimbabwe’s possible membership.

“The readmission of member countries has a robust membership process that includes consultation with stakeholders and reviews of the information provided,” she said in response to questions from The Globe.

Most African countries support Zimbabwe’s bid for readmission.

Political analysts hailed the development, saying being a member of the Commonwealth helps Zimbabwe to shake off the pariah State status that powerful and influential Western media had cast upon the Southern African nation.

Advocate Obert Gutu was optimistic that the issue of Zimbabwe’s readmission to the Commonwealth is now a matter of time.

Zimbabwe, he said, should continue to pursue its engagement and re-engagement policy to reap the fruits of engaging with the rest of the world.

“The optics would be very good for brand Zimbabwe. Whilst some people might argue that there is fundamentally no material benefit for Zimbabwe to rejoin the Commonwealth, one should look at the bigger picture. In international relations, optics do matter. A country is generally judged and perceived by the company that it keeps,” Adv Gutu said.

Another political analyst Mr Tongai Dana said this is a very huge indicator of better and bigger things to come.

“To all intents and purposes, Zimbabwe’s re-admission into the Commonwealth is now just but a mere formality. It’s a question of when, exactly, and certainly not whether Zimbabwe will be readmitted,” said Mr Dana.

He further highlighted that the Commonwealth is now viewing Zimbabwe through a new window and readmission into the Commonwealth is imminent.

“Ultimately Zimbabwe is seeking to draw the economic dividends of partnerships borne out of overlapping membership of various organisations through the manifestation of economic diplomacy. This is an exercise of global interdependence among countries in the Commonwealth in search of common ways to improve and benefit our respective economies,” he said.

The Commonwealth is home to 2,5 billion people and includes both advanced economies and developing countries.

The last two countries to join the Commonwealth were Gabon and Togo in 2022.