Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations have been made to the Commonwealth Secretariat to ensure that the Commonwealth will have election monitors in place in Zimbabwe before the elections on 23 August.

As the Minister for Development and Africa said to President Mnangagwa during their meeting on 5 May, it is important that the people of Zimbabwe can choose their government through peaceful and credible elections. Independent observation by international and domestic missions will play an important role in assessing electoral conduct against regional and international standards. The UK welcomes Zimbabwe's announcement that invitations have been sent to observer missions. The UK is supportive of the Commonwealth sending an electoral observation mission to Zimbabwe and FCDO is engaging closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat and Commonwealth partners to that end, including on possible UK support.