Latest on the situation in Zimbabwe
31 July 2008
Since the sham election on 27 June, conditions in Zimbabwe have deteriorated.
Unofficial estimates suggest inflation could now be as high as 100 million %.
Robert Mugabe's regime presides over an economic and humanitarian disaster in a
country that should otherwise be a leading force for development in the region.
Millions affected by food aid ban
Just before the 27 June Presidential run-off election, the Government
suspended all food aid operations conducted by non-governmental organisations
(NGOs). Already more than 1.5 million people are being affected by this action,
and the situation has the potential to become much worse, particularly if the
ban extends into the hungry season beginning around September/October. The World
Food Programme (WFP) estimates that 5.1 million people may need food aid by the
end of the year.
DFID is working with others in the international community – including the UN –
to demand the immediate lifting of this ban. In the meantime, we are doing
everything we can to ensure that other essential help – including to men, women
and children suffering from HIV/AIDS, and all those in need of life-saving
medicines – continues to get through. We continue to provide much-needed
humanitarian support, and stand ready to make a major contribution to Zimbabwe’s
recovery when the time is right.
To see how vital humanitarian support can continue to get through to Zimbabwe's
poorest and most vulnerable people,
DFID and the British Embassy in Harare are in touch with other diplomatic
missions, international NGOs and the UN working in-country. We are also working with our partners in Zimbabwe to find ways to
ensure that more humanitarian aid reaches those in need, in the event that the
NGO ban persists.
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UK support to Zimbabwe's poorest
On 3 July, the UK Government announced £9 million in humanitarian support to
the WFP, who will provide food to over four million of the country’s poorest and
most vulnerable families, including many children.
Whilst the majority of the £9 million will be used to provide food, a proportion
of the funding will be used to strengthen their monitoring systems to prevent
political interference and ensure the food is received by the right people.
Announcing the new funding, the Secretary of State for International
Development, Douglas Alexander, said:
"The ongoing political problems in Zimbabwe should not divert our gaze from the
continuing humanitarian disaster. By the end of 2008, up to 5 million men, women
and children could be facing severe hunger and malnutrition. That is why this
Government is allocating £9 million to provide food to those people most at
risk.
"We are providing aid but Zimbabwe must allow the aid to get through. The
continued ban on NGOs is senseless and does nothing but take food away from the
mouths of hungry people. For the sake of the millions who are poor and at risk
of starvation, I call on Zimbabwe to lift this unnecessary ban and allow aid to
get through."
The UK has been a major contributor to humanitarian aid in Zimbabwe. Last
financial year we provided £45 million worth of humanitarian and livelihoods
assistance to Zimbabwe’s most disadvantaged people. This brings the
total UK humanitarian contribution to Zimbabwe since 2001 to over £220 million.
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