U.S. congressional delegation in Zimbabwe to assess power sharing agreement, economic reform, humanitarian assistance

A congressional delegation "met Thursday with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and Finance Minister Tendai Biti to discuss progress in fully implementing the September 2008 Global Political Agreement for power sharing and on reforms by the Harare unity government," VOA News reports (Zulu, 2/18).

The five-member delegation, which is being led by Reps. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and Melvin Watt (D-N.C.), is also in the country to assess "economic reforms and visit U.S. funded humanitarian assistance projects," according to a statement from the U.S. embassy in Harare, the Zimbabwe Guardian writes. Other congressmen on the junket include Andre Carson (D-Ind.) and Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) (2/17).

After meeting with the delegation, Biti "said he hoped Washington would continue to re-engage with Zimbabwe," according to VOA News. Meeks "offered an upbeat message on restoring bilateral relations and rebuilding Zimbabwe's economy. 'We're delighted to be here again,' said the African-American legislator, whose delegation was in Harare in September 2009, 'and I think that what you will see is more members of the United States Congress coming to visit, coming to engage and coming to work with the people of Zimbabwe so that we can make sure that tomorrow is better than today because we understand that the future is where we should be headed as opposed to just looking back at the past'" (2/18).