Ugee

Dignified exit for Robert Mugabe?

London - Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai while on a visit to London said on Tuesday he had formed a working relationship with Robert Mugabe and saw scope for the long-serving president eventually to make a dignified exit from power. Tsvangirai joined a unity government with rival Mugabe in February to end a political and economic crisis. Mugabe has ruled the southern African country since independence from Britain in 1980 and critics say he has ruined a once prosperous nation.

Tsvangirai is on the final leg of a tour to Europe and the United States to drum up cash from Western donors, but the trip has yielded only small contributions towards the $10bn Zimbabwe says it needs to rebuild its shattered economy.

Most donors are choosing to channel money through charities or UN agencies rather than give it to a government where Mugabe still wields influence.

Zimbabwe remains subject to Western sanctions. Britain denied Zimbabwe's mines minister a visa for a mining investment conference in London, angering Zanu-PF.

Tsvangirai said he hoped sanctions could be removed if Zimbabwe proved it was committed to political reform.

"Eventually sanctions must be removed. It would be counter-productive to punish progress," he said.

- Reuters