UK GIVES ZIMBABWE US$100m IN AID
Oct 16th, 2009 by admin
The United Kingdom will provide 100 million US dollars in aid to Zimbabwe this year, the largest ever annual donation to the country. The British ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mark Canning, announced the decision yesterday. Mr Canning said the aid money would support the coalition government formed after political rivals Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai signed a power-sharing deal early this year. He claimed the money would be used to boost water, sanitation, health and education services, as well as provide food, seeds and fertilizers to poor households. Relations between the UK and Zimbabwe have been strained for years, with London accusing President Mugabe of electoral fraud and human rights abuses. Western donors in general have been reluctant to give aid to Zimbabwe before reforms are carried out.
