Zimbabwe Urged to Allow Aid Groups to Provide Assistance

Washington -- Nearly 5 million Zimbabweans will require emergency food aid in the coming months, and as a result of recent presidential-election-related violence, thousands more have been displaced from their homes, according to a recent United Nations report.

"A humanitarian crisis looms, yet the government of Zimbabwe continues to suspend most nongovernmental organizations' access to vulnerable people in dire need of life-saving humanitarian assistance," the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) said August 1.

USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore called for the Zimbabwean regime to "immediately and completely rescind the June 4 NGO suspension order" that blocked nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from providing humanitarian assistance.  Zimbabwe's government ordered all humanitarian aid groups to suspend their operations, which relief agencies estimate will deprive 2 million people of food aid and other basic assistance. (More)

U.S. SANCTIONS TIGHTENED AGAINST ZIMBABWE REGIME

Washington -- Citing continued politically motivated violence and the failure to lift a ban on humanitarian assistance, the Bush administration expanded its economic sanctions against Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and other individuals and entities with close ties to his regime.

In a July 25 statement, President Bush said his decision is a direct result of the Mugabe regime's actions, including the continuation of political violence directed against political opponents that ultimately forced the withdrawal of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai from the June 27 runoff vote (More)

NINETEEN ZIMBABWEAN STUDENTS EARN SCHOLARSHIPS WORTH MORE THAN US$5 MILLION TO STUDY AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES

Ambassador James McGee with the 19 USAP graduates who earned scholarships to study at various American universities and colleges.

Nineteen economically disadvantaged Zimbabwean students have collectively been offered full four-year scholarships worth over US$5 million dollars to study at some of the finest colleges and universities in the United States.  United States Ambassador James McGee will recognize these students during a send-off ceremony to be held on Friday, July 25 at 1000 hours at the U. S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section in Eastgate Building.

The United States Student Achievers Program (USAP) assists highly-talented, economically-disadvantaged A level students to negotiate and finance the process of obtaining full scholarships to study at selective US colleges and universities.  In addition to being straight A students, USAPers also exhibit demonstrated leadership potential and the ethos of giving back to their community.  For more information on USAP, see www.usapglobal.org .

The USAP students represent the best and brightest of Zimbabwe. They come from a variety of home areas and high schools this year including Thornhill, Regina Mundi and Guinea Fowl High, Murewa and Kutama College,  Goromonzi,, Monte Cassino and St. Dominic’s, Highfield, Seke I and Zengeza I High.  This group participated in the United States Student Achievers Program (USAP) during the 2007-08 academic year.  (More)