Speaking after meeting Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo, United Kingdom (UK) Foreign Affairs Secretary Boris Johnson said his country will strongly support the Southern African country if it decides to rejoin the Commonwealth.
Former President Robert Mugabe withdrew Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth in 2003 in a row over sanctions. Said Johnson:
There is a great deal of interest in Zimbabwe applying to rejoin the Commonwealth after their election in July. Applying is a matter for the Zimbabwean people to decide. Zimbabwe would have to formally apply to the Commonwealth Secretariat and the final decision would then be for all Commonwealth members. However, the UK would strongly support Zimbabwe’s re-entry and a new Zimbabwe that is committed to political and economic reform that works for all its people.
UK is currently providing £91 million in aid to Zimbabwe for the 2017/18 financial year, including an additional £5 million announced in February to support free and fair elections in the country.