EU Suspends Funding To Zimbabwe’s Electoral Body

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) officials prepare for voting to begin at a polling station during Zimbabwe’s presidential and legislative elections in Bulawayo on August 23, 2023. Zimbabweans on August 23, 2023 began voting in closely-watched presidential and legislative elections.
The EU has been one of the project donors to improve the capacity of the electoral commissionImage caption: The EU has been one of the project donors to improve the capacity of the electoral commission
The European Union has announced that it is suspending financial aid to Zimbabwe’s electoral body due to concerns about the its practices in the contested August elections.

Since 2022, the EU has been one of the donors to a project to improve the capacity of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

The project, which is run by the United Nations Development Programme, was to end in December 2024.

The EU had contributed $4.7m (£3.7m) to the project, some of which has been spent.

However, the EU said on Tuesday that it would step back from the project, which “is currently under scrutiny due to concerns raised by several international election observers regarding the independence and transparency of ZEC during the 2023 elections”.

The union also said that the funding withdrawal will promote responsible management of EU development funds.

EU has started the aid suspension process and has communicated the plan to ZEC and Zimbabwe’s finance ministry.

However, the union said it will continue monitoring developments in Zimbabwe and could resume support.

BBC/Jide Johnson.