Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai met in Gaborone on the weekend with President Ian Khama of Botswana to brief him on the Harare unity government - snubbing Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad whose visit was strongly opposed by Mr. Tsvangirai’s formation of the Movement for Democratic Change.
Political sources said Mr. Tsvangirai has become more concerned about ZANU-PF’s failure to fully implement the Global Political Agreement which gave rise to the inclusive government formed in February 2009.
The prime minister and Mr. Khama also discussed the promise by Botswana to open a credit line of some $70 million dollars to help revive Zimbabwe's economy.
Sources said the Gaborone government informed Mr. Tsvangirai the funds will only be released when parties in the unity government speak with one voice and have fully implemented the Global Political Agreement.
James Maridadi, spokesman for Mr. Tsvangirai, told VOA Studio 7 reporter Sandra Nyaira that officials in the Botswanan capital expressed concern about the non-fulfillment of the GPA in the past 14 months.
Political analyst Joy Mabenge said that like other donors, Botswana wants to see real reform before releasing funds which might otherwise be wasted due to a political environment unsuitable to economic recovery.