Staff Reporter

Government continues to make strides on the political, economic and legislative reforms as annunciated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, as it strives to align the laws with the Constitution of Zimbabwe, ahead of the 2023 Harmonised General Elections.

The Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador James Manzou outlined the political, economic, legislative and electoral reforms that are being undertaken by the Second Republic at the Article 8 Political Dialogue between Zimbabwe and the European Union.

The Government has so far enacted the Freedom of Information Act which repealed the draconian act of Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA). The Government is currently working on the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill and the Zimbabwe Practitioners Bill which it says will go a long way in democratizing the media operating environment.

Ambassador Manzou pointed out that the dialogue is not an inquisition by anyone instead there is more to what unites Zimbabwe and the EU than what divides them.

Ambassador Manzou said, “Zimbabwe and EU have come a long way and there are positive developments to talk about.

He added that, “the most recent is the European Investment Bank extension of credit lines to CABS in 2021 and to NMB in 2022.”

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe and the EU have both benefited from fruitful diplomatic engagements that have seen the warming up of relations since the official withdrawal of the former colonizer, Britain, from the EU Bloc.