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Herald Reporter—
Some Western governments are slowly warming up to Zimbabwe, with Germany and Australia being the latest countries expressing willingness to work with Zimbabwe. The two are part of the western bloc that imposed illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe more than a decade ago over the revolutionary land reform programme. The Governments of Australia and Germany are jointly funding the construction of an Independent Water Scheme in Norton, a project expected to improve the water supply situation in the dormitory town.
The Germans have also extended an invitation to National Assembly Speaker Cde Jacob Mudenda to deliver a keynote address at the 2014 annual conference on Cultural Diplomacy next month, that will be held in the framework of the celebrations to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall.
The Norton project is being carried out under the urban water supply and sanitation programme and being implemented through GIZ, an international enterprise owned by the Germans.
Most of GIZ’s work is commissioned by the Germany Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Recently, an Australian Parliamentary delegation was in Zimbabwe where they were taken through the Norton project.
Norton National Assembly Member Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa, yesterday described the move as an important step towards re-engagement.
“Having such an engagement in an area with a Zanu-PF MP is welcome and we take it as part of the re-engagement exercise,” he said. “We want traditional Western cooperating partners to be open-minded and treat all Zimbabweans in the same vein regardless of political affiliation. The invitation of our Speaker (Mr Mudenda) is also another gesture to show that relations will be on the mend,” he said.
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