BRITAIN last week sent its Foreign and Commonwealth (FCO) top official to for political and economic development assessment in Zimbabwe.
The head of the FCO’s global operations, Chief Operating Officer, Karen Pierce, was in Zimbabwe for a two day official visit where she met with influential business persons with the aim of scouting for new opportunities for her country.
Karen also engaged with opposition parties to assess the country’s political situation.
Her visit came at a time social movements and political activists are under siege from the authorities who are clamping down on peaceful protests.
Also on the agenda of the opposition parties was the issue of electoral reforms which remains pending since the adoption of the new constitution in 2013.
In a statement, British Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Catriona Laing said Karen’s visit was going to inform White Wall’s decision on re-engaging Harare.
“We are excited to be hosting one of the FCO’s most senior officials and to share with her some of our successes as the Britain Mission in Zimbabwe,” said the British envoy last week.
“Karen’s visit is particularly important because the UK, driven by our manifesto commitment to stand up for human rights and the rule of law, wants to see Zimbabwe return to a more normal relationship with the international community,” she added.
Karen is the most senior FCO visitor to Zimbabwe for several years.
She has previously served as Ambassador in Afghanistan, Ambassador to the UN in Geneva and Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in New York.
