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WHEN United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe Harry Thomas Jr appeared before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in Washington DC on October 1, 2015, ahead of his posting to Harare, he pledged to improve relations between the two nations and steer clear of pursuing a confrontational approach to the Zimbabwean government – something some of his predecessors tried with limited success.
A career diplomat who once served at the US mission in Harare in the 1990s, Ambassador Thomas also emphasised the need to let Zimbabweans determine their destiny, saying while the US would not always agree with the government of Zimbabwe, it would always attempt to maintain a respectful and open dialogue.
“US policy in Zimbabwe is not about regime change. Only the people of Zimbabwe have the ability to change their government. Our policies support principles, not parties or people,” he said.
The US envoy said if confirmed, he would work to enable Zimbabwe to become a just, prosperous, and democratic state that meets the needs of its people, contributes to security and development in the region, and plays an important role in world affairs.
“With full recognition of the complex challenges Zimbabwe faces, I remain optimistic about the country’s future and believe that the United States has an important role to play in helping the people of Zimbabwe build a just, free, and prosperous nation,” Ambassador Thomas said.
“The trajectory of Zimbabwe’s recent past should not obscure the nation’s tremendous potential. Though battered by more than a decade of political strife, economic decline, and challenges to its health systems, Zimbabwe retains a foundational human and physical infrastructure upon which it can build a strong future. It is in the interest of the United States to be a partner in that process and, if confirmed, I will continue the work of building productive and respectful relationships with all Zimbabweans of goodwill.”
Ambassador Thomas also highlighted the importance of self reliance, saying the relationship between the US and Zimbabwe should gravitate towards mutual respect.
“We need, however, to prepare to move beyond a relationship defined by aid. Zimbabweans are fully capable of feeding themselves, meeting the nation’s health and education needs, building a dynamic political system, and restoring what was once one of the strongest economies in Africa,” he said.
Ambassador Thomas began his tour of duty in January and has far gone about his business quietly and in a manner consistent with his confirmation hearing statement.
On Wednesday, he was at Stanmore in Gwanda on a tour of USAID-funded projects where he reiterated that relations between the US and Zimbabwe were becoming cordial.
Ambassador Thomas said he was impressed by the huge progress Zimbabwe had made in all facets since the 2013 harmonised elections.
“After having stayed in the country before, I’m happy to have this wonderful opportunity to come back home and see the progress which has been made. Relations between Zimbabwe and the Unites States are becoming cordial,” he said.
Ambassador Thomas said he was proud of the co-operation between the two countries and was looking forward to a continued co-operation with the people of Zimbabwe. We welcome the Ambassador’s statement and urge him to continue building bridges between the two nations. The relationship between the two countries has been strained by years of crippling sanctions and Ambassador Thomas would do well to work towards mending fences and ensuring that Washington and Harare find each other.
The starting point is vigorously lobbying his principals to repeal the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZDERA) so that the two countries resume full bilateral relations. If Zimbabwe is to play any meaningful role in world affairs as desired by Ambassador Thomas, there is a need to remove the impediments that make it impossible for this to be achieved.
We note that the US envoy also strongly advised against confrontation and agitated for Zimbabwe’s self reliance and a relationship based on mutual respect between the two countries. This is most welcome and the US would begin by recognising the sovereign right of the people of Zimbabwe to elect leaders of their choice. Zimbabweans voted overwhelmingly for President Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF during the 2013 elections and we wish the US and other Western countries could accept this reality and work with the current government to improve the lot of the people of this country.
For Zimbabwe to become self reliant, it needs budgetary support, a lifting of punitive sanctions, financial support for its land reform programme, retiring of its debts to multilateral institutions, cheap lines of credit to revive its ailing industries and its full and unconditional readmission into the community of nations. The US, as the only global superpower, could take the lead in removing Zimbabwe’s pariah status by righting the wrongs visited on the country by Britain and its European allies.
Online Reporter