Malcolm Bruce, the chairman of the British House of Commons International Development Committee, noted in a statement on arrival in Zimbabwe on Tuesday that President Mugabe’s ZANU-PF must stop using sanctions as an excuse to block progress in the country.
"Our role is to provide independent parliamentary oversight of how the British government spends its aid. We are not here to advise on political developments. The British government has already made clear that the key to having the EU's restrictive measures lifted is for those blocking progress in Zimbabwe to implement the commitments they signed up to the Global
Political Agreement and to stop using sanctions as an excuse," he said.
Bruce is in Zimbabwe, together with seven other British parliamentarians on a four-day visit to review the effectiveness of Britain's aid programme.
The visit comes as the country prepares to mark the one-year anniversary on February 11 of a power-sharing government formed by arch-rivals President Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the former party MDC.
The power-sharing deal, which ended months of post-election violence against opposition supporters, has been marred by disagreement between the two parties over sanctions and a host of other issues.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the British House of Commons recently that London was awaiting an update from the MDC before deciding whether the targeted travel and trading bans could be lifted.
The European Union is this month also expected to decide whether to renew its restrictive measures against President Mugabe and scores of his allies.
Bruce said the team of parliamentarians, which includes Hugh Bayley Labour, Nigel Evans Conservative, Richard Burden Labour, John Battle Labour, Andrew Stunell Liberal Democrats, Daniel Kawcynski Conservative and Mark Lancaster Conservative, will visit projects funded by Britain.
“My colleagues and I are delighted to be in Zimbabwe to see first-hand how Britain's substantial aid programme - at US $100 million our largest ever in Zimbabwe - is helping improve the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans,” said Bruce.
“We are looking forward to visiting a number of projects in Harare and Bulawayo covering areas, such as health, HIV/AIDS and education, where the UK Department for International Development's work with local partners is delivering real benefits to thousands of Zimbabweans."
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