For many, the news that the European Union had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2012 came as a surprise.
Some believed it odd that this recognition was awarded at a time when the EU is mired in crisis: an economic crisis, but also a crisis of confidence.
The uncertainty we are living through means real hardship for many of our citizens. Along with their jobs, their pensions and their savings, some have also lost confidence in the European project.
Extremists abuse our current economic woes to pander populist messages while for others it is proof that European integration process should be reversed. But we cannot let our commitment to peace be undermined by defeatism.
I see the award as a timely reminder of what the European Union stands for and the fundamental principle it was built around – transforming a war-torn continent into a union of democracies. The founding fathers and mothers of the EU said: “Never again.” For those that rebuilt Europe from the rubble of war, it is still a miracle that the wounds of conflict could be overcome to give former enemies a common future. Since then, the EU has offered membership to country after country, bolstering democracies and including them in the world’s largest internal market and in a space of shared fundamental rights and social solidarity.
Today the EU continues to exude its soft drawing power and serves as a stabilising force beyond its borders.
Despite all these achievements we should not be complacent. With its prestigious recognition the Nobel committee also sent a clear message to the EU: we must protect a Union built on six decades in the pursuit of peace from disintegration and resurgent nationalisms. At a time when some like to portray the EU as a “has been”, the Nobel peace prize is a recognition that resonates with all generations.
The many congratulations we received from leaders and individual citizens around the globe are also a reminder that — despite the recent gloom surrounding the EU due to the financial crisis — the commitment to peace never goes out of fashion.
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Rather than rest on our laurels, we should take the award as a boost to step up our engagement for lasting peace and prosperity. We need to make Europe’s mission for peace a forward-looking as well as a global one.
The Nobel Peace Prize should put new wind in our sails to reach out and support those who do not enjoy the same fundamental freedoms, rights and prosperity as we do.
The partnership between Europe and the people of Zimbabwe is longstanding. Since 2009 the EU and its member states have provided over one billion USD in development assistance. Over the next few years, the EU will contribute to a number of longer term development initiatives, including in infrastructure, sustainable agriculture, and free access to better quality social services.
We are in the process of developing, with the Government of National Unity, a long term programme for the 11th European Development Fund. The European Investment Bank also envisages to launch development activities with the private sector in Zimbabwe.
As the Zimbabwean economy develops, our partnership should move towards increasing emphasis on trade and investments. With the ratification of the interim Economic Partnership Agreement in May this year Zimbabwean businesses enjoys tax and quota free trade with Europe, and we are working to attract attention of more business in Europe.
The steps taken since the formation of the Government of National Unity, to improve the freedom and prosperity of the Zimbabwean people, are encouraging.
The decision to suspend the EU appropriate measures in July this year represented a major shift in the EU approach and we are keen to move further towards normalised relations.
In this regard, we look to the Government of National Unity to make every effort to conclude the constitutional process, and to take the necessary steps in the preparation for credible and peaceful elections.
The award of the Nobel Prize is a moment when we should pause for reflection. European countries managed to bury ancient rivalries and resolving old squabbles, building unprecedented prosperity as well as a culture of human rights, freedoms and respect for diversity.
This can hopefully serve also as an inspiration for all parties in Zimbabwe to work together towards a better future.
