Zimbabwe recently hosted a delegation from western countries, signaling a thawing of a previously frosty relationship.
Potential investors from Britain and France, countries in the European Union (EU) block that had imposed targeted sanctions on Zimbabwe over its alleged human rights and other abuses, met with officials, to explore opportunities there.
Rubberstamping this change, was the recent signing of a $270 million deal between Zimbabwe and the EU, essentially ending a 13-year-direct engagement between the two.
For perspective on this apparent sea change, Studio 7’s Ndimyake Mwakalyelye spoke with United Kingdom-based analysts, Dr. Alex Magaisa, a professor at Kent University, and Dr. Nkululeko Sibanda, a professor at Huddersfield University.
Sibanda says western country’s interest in Zimbabwe is strategic.
Now that western countries are re-engaging Zimbabwe, many are looking at the United States, which has also imposed targeted sanctions on Zimbabwe.
Senior policy analyst Marion Tupy of the Washington-based Cato Institute for Global Liberty and Prosperity says that is unlikely.