Written question asked by Lord Luce (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Howell of Guildford (Conservative) on Thursday, 28 October 2010.

Zimbabwe

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the work of the Movement for Democratic Change within the Government of National Unity in Zimbabwe.

Answer: Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) involvement in the Inclusive Government has played a significant role in the improvements in Zimbabwe since February 2009, particularly the revival of the economy and the resumption of basic services. The UK Government have acknowledged the impressive performance of Finance Minister Tendai Biti in securing macro-economic stability and curbing inflation thus increasing the availability of goods, revenue and employment and leading the country to economic growth for the first time since 1997. MDC Ministers have also played a crucial role in reinvigorating the education and health sectors, getting schools, universities and hospitals working again, thus greatly improving the humanitarian situation. Persistent intransigence from hardliners continues to hamper reform, particularly in the judicial and security sectors. However, in the absence of a roadmap to credible and properly monitored elections, the Inclusive Government continue to offer the only credible means of transforming Zimbabwe and delivering basic services to its people.

Secondary information