Mnangagwa: Zimbabwe Committed To Re-join Commonwealth And Re-engage

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said Zimbabwe is committed to returning to the Commonwealth as part of its re-engagement agenda.

He posted on Twitter on Wednesday after meeting the Commonwealth’s secretary-general, Baroness Patricia Scotland, on the sidelines of the United Nations Climate Change Conference that is underway in Glasgow, Scotland. The president said:

Zimbabwe’s application to re-join the Commonwealth shows our commitment to re-engagement. It was a pleasure to speak with Commonwealth secretary-general Baroness Patricia Scotland on Zimbabwe’s application. Great things are ahead!”

After the closed-door meeting, Baroness Scotland said the Commonwealth is ready to welcome Zimbabwe back into the 54-member bloc once all the necessary steps are concluded.

Last year, the late Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Sibusiso Moyo said had done all the processes required for the country to rejoin the organisation.

He said Zimbabwe had even managed to invite the Commonwealth Election Observer Mission.

Meanwhile, opposition MDC Alliance Secretary-General, Chalton Hwende, said Zimbabwe only needs to respect the rule of law for it to be readmitted into the Commonwealth.

The late former President Robert Mugabe withdrew the country’s club membership in 2003 after the Commonwealth failed to lift a suspension it had imposed on the Southern African country following the 2002 presidential election that was marred by politically-motivated violence.

Commonwealth is a grouping made up of the United Kingdom and its former colonies. Citizens of member states benefit from several socio-economic benefits.

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