U.S. Lifts Travel Warning Against Zimbabwe
Thursday, April 23rd, 2009The United States State Department has chosen to lift its advisory warning Americans against travel to Zimbabwe.
From Reuters:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States has scrapped an advisory warning Americans against travel to Zimbabwe but this does not signal a shift in U.S. policy toward the unity government, the State Department said on Friday.
U.S. officials said there were no immediate plans to lift targeted sanctions or give any substantial aid to help rebuild Zimbabwe until there is firm evidence that President Robert Mugabe is serious about sharing power with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
“We can’t seriously decide to take decisions on aid or lifting sanctions until much, much more is done,” said a State Department official, who declined to be named as the issue is under review and his comments were sensitive.
State Department spokesman Robert Wood told reporters the travel warning was canceled on April 8 because of a return of “basic” medical, food and fuel services to Zimbabwe, whose economy is in shambles and infrastructure in ruins.
“We’re obviously going to continue to monitor the situation. And if we feel we need to provide another travel advisory or warning, we’ll certainly do so,” Wood said, adding there was no “political dynamic” to scrapping the warning.
