Normalise Relations With Zimbabwe, EU Urged

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe speaks at an international forum. The country has heightened security amid western threats aimed at destabilization.
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Normalise relations with Zim, EU urged

Bulawayo Bureau
Zimbabwe Herald

Ambassador Pilar Fvertes of Spain has urged the European Union to normalise its relations with Zimbabwe.

In an interview at Nyandeni Pre-School in Gwanda at the weekend where she was donating toys and stationery, Ambassador Fvertes said Spain and the EU were not fully supporting development initiatives in Zimbabwe because of sour bilateral relations.

She said her country understood the challenges facing Zimbabwe’s education sector.

"We are still trying to engage the EU to engage Zimbabwe and normalise our relationship so that we can support developmental projects in the country.

"When these relations are mended we will be able to support infrastructural projects in schools. However, you are aware that the Minister of Education, Senator David Coltart — through Unicef — has tried to engage the EU by setting the Education Transition Fund to provide books," she said.

Illegal EU and American sanctions have eroded Zimbabwe’s economy and efforts to bridge the soured ties have so far failed with the West accused of insincerity in the re-engagement. The West has tried to claim that it does not have sanctions against Zimbabwe as evidenced by its frequent humanitarian and other donations.

However, Government has pointed out it would rather have the embargo lifted than depend on hand-outs.

Handing over the donation, Ambassador Fvertes said her office had bought more than 7 000 toys and nursery equipment worth about US$50 000 to be donated to 30 primary schools, 20 orphanages and five centres that cater for disabled children countrywide.

"For a child to develop fully it is not a matter of giving them food only, but it is necessary that they play because playing is their basic right.

"Playing enables the child to have a greater capacity to think, learn to share with others and to work as a team," said Ambassador Fvertes.

Receiving the donation, the pre-school’s patron, Mrs Lackel Nyathi, said they appreciated the gesture and emphasised the importance of allowing children to play as part of their social development.

The school has an enrolment of 150 children.

Schools such as the Jairos Jiri Centre, Dimpamiwa Primary School in Nkayi, Minda Pre-School in Matobo district, and some schools in Tshabalala, Pelandaba and Nkulumane have already received such donations.

Industry Minister Welshman Ncube and his Regional Integration counterpart Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga accompanied Ambassador Fvertes.