Downing Street Says

» Friday, June 6, 2008

Zimbabwe

Asked for an update on the situation in Zimbabwe and what we could do to assist non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that work there, the PMS said that we had seen the response this morning of the international aid community to the decision that had been taken by the Zimbabwe authorities, which would affect the 4 million Zimbabweans dependent on food aid. It was a tragedy that a country that could once fed its people and exported the excess was now dependent on food aid in this way and was taking steps to remove the access of its impoverished citizens to food aid.

Asked if there was anything the Government could do in terms of lobbying, the PMS said that we would continue to discuss this with our international partners, including in the UN.

Asked if it was the Government’s view that the Zimbabwean authorities were now using food as a weapon, the PMS said that some people had been suggesting that; the Government’s general position was that we condemned the behaviour of the Zimbabwe regime and the damage that they were causing to the welfare of their own people.

Asked why Robert Mugabe still had a knighthood and that the fact he had one was an affront to some people, the PMS referred journalists to what the Prime Minister had said at PMQs; this was something that we had kept and would continue to keep under review. The key point was that we kept our focus on actions that would actually make a difference to the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans.

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Zimbabwe

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