The European Union (EU) has announced the suspension of financial aid to Zimbabwe’s electoral body due to concerns surrounding its conduct during the contested August elections.
Since 2022, the EU has been among the donors supporting a project aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). This project, managed by the United Nations Development Programme, was originally set to conclude in December 2024.
The EU had contributed $4.7 million (£3.7 million) to this project, with some funds already expended.
However, on Tuesday, the EU disclosed its decision to withdraw support from the project, citing ongoing scrutiny of the project “due to concerns raised by several international election observers regarding the independence and transparency of ZEC during the 2023 elections.”
The EU emphasized that this withdrawal of funding is intended to encourage responsible management of EU development funds.
The process of suspending aid has begun, and the EU has communicated its plan to both ZEC and Zimbabwe’s finance ministry. Nevertheless, the EU also stated its intent to continue monitoring developments in Zimbabwe and may consider resuming support in the future.