Dialogue Online: No. 6/2015: “Zimbabwe’s Re-Engagement by the Western Community: A Call for a Calibrated Approach.” By Tamuka Charles Chirimambowa

Post 31st of July 2013; the Western Community has signalled or started engaging and normalising relations with Zimbabwe after close to two decades of contested leadership and disputed electoral outcomes. The signing of a bilateral grant between the EU and Zimbabwe, the visits by high level envoys from the United Kingdom and German in early 2015 signify a thawing of relations and shift from isolation to engagement. The trend towards re-engagement presents a complex challenge for pro-democracy civil society and opposition since the democratic and govenance practice of the Harare regime still leaves a lot to desired. In this article, Zimbabwean scholar, Tamuka Charles Chirimambowa, argues for a gradualist approach to re-engagement based on government of Zimbabwe achieving certain milestones towards operationalising the country’s new constitution.

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