LONDON,
United
Kingdom
–
Zimbabwe
could
be
readmitted
to
the
Commonwealth
–
despite
concern
over
its
human
rights
record
–
following
support
from
Baroness
Scotland,
the
organisation’s
controversial
Secretary-General.
She
has
recommended
the
country
be
allowed
to
return
more
than
20
years
after
its
expulsion
for
human
rights
violations
under
ex-president
Robert
Mugabe.
The
move
comes
despite
allegations
of
election-rigging
and
detention
of
political
opponents
by
president
Emmerson
Mnangagwa,
who
has
also
voiced
support
for
Russia’s
invasion
of
Ukraine.
An
Informal
Assessment
Report
by
Baroness
Scotland
says
that
‘stakeholders’
in
Zimbabwe
have
‘reported
an
overall
improved
political
environment’,
adding:
‘I
am
certain
that
with
the
help
of
the
Commonwealth
family
the
country
will
flourish
once
again.’
The
Secretary-General
was
dubbed
‘Baroness
Brazen’
after
it
emerged
she
spent
£338,000
refurbishing
her
grace-and-favour
Mayfair
apartment
and
appointed
allies
to
key
posts
after
she
got
the
Commonwealth
job.
She
is
to
step
down
early
next
year.
On
Zimbabwe,
she
says
that
while
the
country
was
‘still
in
the
early
stages
of
its
democratic
journey
and
challenges
remain,
including
the
issue
of
political
prisoners
and
upholding
freedom
of
association,
most
of
the
core
criteria
have
been
sufficiently
and
broadly
met’.
She
recommends
Zimbabwe’s
membership
progresses
to
the
‘next
stage’,
which
entails
her
consultation
with
member
countries.
The
publication
Africa
Confidential
says
she
made
the
recommendation
despite
criticism
of
Zimbabwe’s
2023
elections
in
a
Commonwealth
Observers’
Report
which
has
been
slow
to
emerge.
It
found
‘shortcomings
with
the
process
that
call
into
question
the
credibility,
transparency
and
inclusivity
of
the
election’.
It
added
Zimbabwe
had
passed
laws
that
‘negatively
impacted
journalistic
freedoms’.
Zimbabwe
has
been
trying
to
rejoin
the
Commonwealth
since
2018
for
the
prestige
of
being
a
member
–
and
access
to
markets
with
low
trade
tariffs.
A
Commonwealth
spokesman
said:
‘We
have
ascertained
that
all
stakeholders
(government,
opposition,
civil
society,
media,
religious
leaders
etc)
are
eager
to
see
Zimbabwe
back
in
the
family.’ MailOnline