Sweden has pledged to work to improve relations between Zimbabwe and the European Union (EU) but said restoration of normal ties will depend on full implementation of a power sharing agreement between President Robert Mugabe and his former opposition foes.

Stockholm, a long-standing provider of humanitarian support to Zimbabwe, takes over the rotating EU presidency in July. Swedish ambassador to Zimbabwe Sten Rylander said his country will prioritise repairing Harare/Brussels relations, among other key issues.

Relations between Zimbabwe and the EU soured in 2002 with Brussels accusing Mugabe’s government of human rights violations, stealing elections and failure to uphold the rule of law. The EU has since 2002 maintained visa and financial sanctions against Mugabe and his inner circle.

“We (EU) have already started formal dialogue with Zimbabwe on how to normalise relations,” Rylander told journalists in Harare on Tuesday. He added: “Success in restoration of normal relations will depend on the willingness of all players in the global political agreement (GPA) to address outstanding substantive issues.”

Mugabe and the leaders of the two former opposition MDC formations – Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara – signed the GPA last September which culminated in the formation of the inclusive government last February.

Mugabe retained the presidency while Tsvangirai became Prime Minister and Mutambara one of his two deputies.

But since the formation of the unity government, several issues remain unresolved, including the appointment of provincial governors, ambassadors, the re-appointment of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono and the hiring of Johannes Tomana as Attorney General.

The Tsvangirai-led MDC formation at the weekend said the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union – the guarantors of the GPA – should intervene to resolve the sticking issues.

Rylander said once normal relations were restored, Sweden would increase its assistance to Zimbabwe. “Once outstanding issues in the GPA have been resolved there will be direct engagement with the government for funding of economic programmes. At the moment we are only assisting aid organisations,” he said.

Sweden is currently supporting local organisations to the tune of US$20 million annually.

Western donor governments have pledged to assist Zimbabwe’s unity government but on condition it implements genuine political, economic and media reforms as well as end on going farm invasions.

The coalition government has drawn up a Short Term Emergency Recovery Programme and is in desperate need of US$8,3 billion to revive the country’s comatose economy. – ZimOnline