UK and Zimbabwe signal new chapter in relations after decades of tension
The United Kingdom and Zimbabwe are taking cautious steps toward renewing ties after years of strained relations, marked by a historic visit from UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins of Highbury, to Harare on June 11.
The first such visit by a UK cabinet minister in seven years, it signals a potential thaw in a relationship long marred by colonial legacies and political disputes.
Lord Collins met with President Emmerson Mnangagwa to discuss cooperation in key areas like mineral value addition, clean energy, and agricultural SMEs, aligning with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 development goals.
The talks reflect Mnangagwa’s ongoing push for international re-engagement since taking office in 2017, following decades of isolation under Robert Mugabe’s rule.
The UK, a former colonial power, has responded positively, recently lifting sanctions on several Zimbabwean individuals and entities and supporting Zimbabwe’s bid to rejoin the Commonwealth, contingent on democratic reforms.
Tensions between the two nations peaked in the early 2000s over Zimbabwe’s controversial land reforms, which saw white-owned farms seized, leading to economic collapse and UK sanctions.