Focus on what we could do together, not the negatives – US tells Zimbabwe
By Staff Reporter
AMERICAâs Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pamela Tremont has urged the government to avoid emphasising the two countriesâ points of conflict but instead take advantage of possible areas of collaboration that could benefit both nations.
Tremont, who presented her credentials and moved to Harare last year, said she had been concentrating on getting more American investors into the country since presenting papers to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The United States of America (USA) has not had the best relationship with Zimbabwe, which stands accused of gross human rights abuses among other ills, since the early 2000s.
Their relationship has been characterised by accusations and counter-accusations regards the roles played in getting Zimbabweâs economy on its knees.
Ruling, Zanu PF officials have argued and accused America of illegally sanctioning its entities and powerful organisations while the US has continuously professed ignorance and maintained corruption is the main crisis.
Tremont said her comments were in full realisation that the USA had been Zimbabweâs largest source of donor aid since independence in 1980.
âWhat I would really like to do is get the Zimbabwean government to refocus away from our areas of disagreement and focus on what we can do together to achieve our mutual goals,â said Tremont.
âI have been focused on the investment climate and how we can improve the situation here on the ground that will attract more US investors to Zimbabwe, create jobs and hopefully improve the prosperity of Zimbabweans.
âWe have been the largest bilateral donor to Zimbabwe since its independence in 1980. Despite our many areas of disagreement and the tension that we sometimes have had, we have continued to support the Zimbabwean people.
âThat is not the kind of relationship we want to have. We would like Zimbabwe to be a self-sufficient, self-reliant country that can stand on its own two feet, and make its own decisions without the influence of anybody else.â
Tremont was speaking on American platform Do Hard Stuff, hosted by J. W. Oliver of ZimWorX, an organisation promoting employment creation in Zimbabwe.
âWe are constantly trying to win people over to believing that the US is a force for good in the world and that we should be the partner of first resort in solving all of the worldâs problems,â said Tremont.
âOur interests in Zimbabwe are to build partnerships with Zimbabweans so that we can counter challenges such as climate change, hunger, and disease increase trade and combat diseases.
âWe believe that increased trade and prosperity is important for us and Zimbabweans. Those are the sort of things we talk about with the Zimbabwean government.
âOur goals in Zimbabwe havenât really changed so much over the years.
âWelfare and equality in Zimbabwe are actually getting worse.
âThe rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, the number of people living below the poverty line has doubled since 2011 despite significant Chinese investment here.
âWe believe that strong democratic institutions and respect for human rights are really key components of having a free market economy that works well without corruption.âÂ