25 April 2009

Harare — BRITAIN will no longer vote against funding for Zimbabwe at the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the International Finance Corporation, British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Andrew Pocock has indicated.

Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara said Mr Pocock told him yesterday that the British government would be very supportive of the inclusive Government and would do all it can to ensure its success.

The announcement is a major boost to Sadc finance ministers who will, tomorrow, present Zimbabwe's case at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings in Washington DC to source funding for the country's economic turnaround programme and restoration of the country's lines of credit.

Briefing journalists after meeting the British ambassador, DPM Mutambara said Mr Pocock indicated that London was prepared to engage Zimbabwe to end the bilateral stand-off.

"They will not vote against Zimbabwe at the WB, IMF and IFC. They will behave well," DPM Mutambara said.

He said the British government was not putting any preconditions on Zimbabwe but was interested in seeing a "general directional correctness".

"They want to see signs of effective inclusiveness," said DPM Mutambara.

He said Mr Pocock had indicated that his government was willing to go beyond humanitarian assistance by helping with the payment of teachers' salaries and assisting Government to improve revenue collection systems.

Mr Pocock, however, said Zimbabweans should play their part in addressing all outstanding issues under the Global Political Agreement.

The Deputy Premier said the outstanding issues were not insurmountable.

"In summary, we had a progressive meeting. The British are clear in their minds that there is no alternative government to this inclusive Government," said DPM Mutambara.

Asked to comment on strides made by the inclusive Government, DPM Mutambara said progress was evident in the introduction of the Short-Term Economic Recovery Programme last month and the 100-Day Action Plan agreed at a ministerial retreat in Victoria Falls earlier this month.

He said Zimbabwe was not on the edge but there was need to address matters that had damaging the country's image.

"Let us not ask what other nations can do for Zimbabwe. The future of Zimbabwe depends on us working on our issues," he said.

Mr Pocock refused to speak to journalists.

Earlier, DPM Mutambara met South African Ambassador Professor Mulungisi Makhalima to discuss bilateral issues.

DPM Mutambara said Zimbabwe would hold a two-day conference bringing together the Government and the private sector with a view to

harnessing private funds for investment in road construction, power generation and the water sector.

He said South Africa had agreed to send experts to the conference to assist in the mobilisation of resources and to share best practices.

Indian and Chinese experts had also been invited to the conference.

South Africa has successfully incorporated the private sector in the construction of roads, water and power infrastructure under the Build, Operate and Transfer arrangement.

"We want to learn from South Africa," he said.

He said case studies from South Africa, India and China would be deliberated upon during the conference, whose details would be announced in due course.

Prof Makhalima described his meeting with DPM Mutambara as uplifting. He said the meeting was designed to consolidate and deepen relations between Harare and Tshwane.