1. Chatham House Africa, London, 8 November
Chatham House Africa Programme roundtable will be holding an event titled ‘Zimbabwe after the Elections: Domestic Economic Developments and Regional Impacts’. The event will feature Hon. Walter Mzembi, Minister of Tourism, and Republic of Zimbabwe. The event will take place on Friday 8th November between 12:30 – 13:30 at Chatham House, 10 St. James’s Square, London, SW1Y 4LE.
Hon. Mzembi is a party member of ZANU-PF, and will discuss Zimbabwe’s regional co-operation on tourism and investment. He will also present his views on the investment climate and the prospects for political stability and economic growth after the elections. In particular he will speak on how the government is increasing its focus on attracting investors as a means of boosting economic growth in the country. The Minister will explain how fluctuations in the Zimbabwe stock exchange observed during the election period are beginning to settle, while international attention remains focused on the 2013 election process. He will speak on the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia earlier this year. In making future projections, he will state that tourism is expected to account for over 8% of the country’s GDP over the next ten years, and promoting tourism remains crucial for the government’s agenda.
2. Protest at Visit to London by Zimbabwean Minister – 8th November 2013, London
The Zimbabwe Vigil is to stage a demonstration outside the Royal Institute of International Affairs on Friday when the Zimbabwean Minister of Tourism, Walter Mzembi, speaks at the Chatham House think tank. According to the Vigil Notice, Mzembi is thought to be the first Zimbabwean Minister to visit the UK since the rigged elections of 31st July which kept Mugabe in power.
Vigil Co-ordinator Rose Benton said: ‘Mzembi presents himself as the reasonable face of Mugabe’s Zanu-PF mafia. But he cannot distance himself from the ruination that Mugabe has brought upon Zimbabwe . . . the poverty, starvation, despair, the enslavement of the people to Chinese colonisers’.
Demonstrators will greet him with posters such as: ‘Who poisoned the elephants?’, ‘Who is destroying the forests?’ and ‘Who is stealing the diamonds?’
The demonstration will take place on Friday, 8th November 2013 from 12 noon to 1 pm at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House), 10 St James’s Square, London SW1Y 4LE
3. Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA), London, 9 November
ACTSA will be holding its annual conference ‘Southern Africa: Human Rights and Democracy’w with leading human rights campaigners from Swaziland and Zimbabwe between 14.00-16.30, on Saturday, 9 November at the Human Rights Action Centre, Amnesty International UK, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA. The event will feature McDonald Lewanika: Director, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Wandile Dludu: Coordinator, Swaziland Democracy Campaign and Swaziland United Democratic Front TBC Siphiwe Hlophe: Director, Swaziland for Positive Living (video message). Please come and hear from civil society leaders about the prospects for the future in Swaziland and Zimbabwe. What are the needs, priorities and what can we do to support those struggling to uphold human rights, democracy and eradicate poverty.
4. Zimbabwe Association AGM, London, 16 November
This will take place on Saturday 16 November 2013 at Oxford House, Bethnal Green, London E2 6HG. Delegates can arrive from 11 am – Registration and Information Stalls with the official AGM business taking place between 12.45 to 1.30 pm. McDonald Lewanika will be guest speaker alongside Clare Miller, Turpin Miller LLP
5. Zimbabwe Europe Network (ZEN) AGM , Netherland, 28 November (tentative)
The ZEN is due to take place on 28 November 2013 in the Netherlands. We will update you on further details but in the meantime you can contact Hugo Knoppert at secr@zimbabwewatch.org
6. The International Human Rights Day, Harare, Zimbabwe, 10 December
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum, its members and partners will be hosting their flagship international human rights day commemoration in Harare. We will update you on the details. In the meantime you may obtain further details from the Forum Front Desk by contact Stan on stan@hrforum.co.zw
