15 November 2017
Vara calls on Government to work with African Union to restore democracy in Zimbabwe

Speaking following the Foreign Secretary's comments on Zimbabwe, Shailesh Vara calls on the Government to work with the African Union to put pressure on Zimbabwe not to continue as an authoritarian state and to respect human rights.

Mr Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire) (Con)

I appreciate that events are very fast-moving, but will the British Government work closely with the African Union to try to get it to put pressure on Zimbabwe, both not to continue as an authoritarian state and to respect human rights, particularly of those from overseas, such as from Britain?

Boris Johnson

I thank my hon. Friend for that excellent point. The AU is an increasingly important and valuable interlocutor in Africa, and I have a good relationship with Mr Faki, president of the commission. I will be going to the AU summit in Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire next week, and I have no doubt that Zimbabwe will be top of the AU agenda in Côte d’Ivoire.

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