South Africa has led regional mediation efforts to address the parties' outstanding concerns. Some 7 million Zimbabweans required food aid in early 2009, and, while the situation has since improved, localized food insecurity persists. Despite over $50 million in subsequent donor interventions to rehabilitate these systems, the risk of waterborne disease remains high, with one in three rural Zimbabweans still lacking access to clean drinking water. Flawed elections in 2008 and subsequent months of widespread political violence left the country's political rivals bitterly at odds. The Power-Sharing Agreement

Questions surrounding the legitimacy of the Zimbabwe government in the wake of the March and June 2008 elections (see Appendix ) left the country mired in political uncertainty for the remainder of that year. On September 15, 2008, after several weeks of negotiations overseen by Mbeki, Mugabe and Tsvangirai signed a power-sharing arrangement, the Global Political Agreement (GPA), to resolve the political standoff by establishing a unity government and outlining a time frame for the drafting and adoption of a new constitution. As part of the deal, Tsvangirai would become prime minister in a new unity government, and cabinet positions would be divided among the parties. The duration of the coalition government was not explicitly defined in the power-sharing agreement, and a considerable amount of political uncertainty regarding the government's future remains. Economic Reforms Made, but Challenges Remain

Zimbabwe's current finance minister, senior MDC official Tendai Biti, has been credited with initiating critical economic reforms that have led to positive economic growth for the first time in years. The parties have reportedly resolved their disagreements on a number of political appointments in the past three years. Joseph Msika served as the country's other vice president until his death in August 2009 at age 86. Western governments, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the member states of the European Union, have been highly critical of ZANU-PF policies, particularly during the political violence that followed the 2008 elections. Many South Africans have also expressed concern over the human rights abuses reported across their northern border in recent years. U.S. Policy on Zimbabwe

The U.S. government has been critical of President Mugabe and members of his former regime for their poor human rights record and lack of respect for the rule of law. The Obama Administration has expressed support for the transitional government, but has been cautious in its engagement as Administration officials continue to press for the full implementation of the GPA. Sanctions Against Individuals

The United States has enforced targeted sanctions against top government officials and associates since 2003; these sanctions have been renewed annually by the White House. Multilateral Financing Restrictions

Congress expressed its opposition to the Zimbabwe government's "economic mismanagement" and "undemocratic policies" and called for sanctions in the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001 (ZDERA; P.L. 107-99 ). The Administration maintains that the provision of non-humanitarian assistance directly to the government remains predicated on progress toward political reforms, although the U.S. government is providing some technical assistance to reform-minded ministries and to parliament. Language in annual appropriations legislation has also prohibited assistance to Zimbabwe's central government since FY2010, with the exception of health, education, and macroeconomic growth assistance, unless the Secretary of State determines and reports to Congress that "the rule of law has been restored in Zimbabwe, including respect for ownership and title to property, freedom of speech and association." The 2008 Elections

		March 2008 Elections92

In 2007, after years of political tensions and a violent March 2007 assault by police on government critics that drew widespread international criticism, South Africa initiated a mediation effort between the government of Zimbabwe and the opposition to create political conditions for free and fair elections, the results of which would be accepted by all parties. For the first time since independence, ZANU-PF lost its majority in the National Assembly. They indicated that Tsvangirai had received more votes than Mugabe, but had failed to garner the 50% needed to avoid a runoff. The MDC alleged that over 500 of its supporters were killed in the months after the election. Then-U.S.
The U.S. government, which has expressed concerns regarding the rule of law in Zimbabwe for over a decade and which has long been critical of President Robert Mugabe, has been cautious in its engagement with the country's three-year-old power-sharing government. That government, which includes members of the former opposition, has improved economic and humanitarian conditions during its ongoing transitional rule. However, significant concerns about the country's political future remain. Zimbabwe's March 2008 elections resulted in the party of long-serving President Mugabe losing its parliamentary majority for the first time since independence. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai received more votes than Mugabe in the presidential race, but fell short of the needed margin for victory. Tsvangirai later withdrew his name from the ballot days before the required runoff, amid widespread political violence. Mugabe was thus declared the winner. In September 2008, after weeks of negotiations, Tsvangirai and Mugabe reached an agreement to form a unity government, with Mugabe remaining head of state. Tsvangirai became prime minister and cabinet and gubernatorial positions were divided among the parties. Disputes delayed implementation of the agreement until February 2009, when members of the opposition were sworn in alongside former rivals as ministers in a new government.
The parties to the power-sharing agreement have faced significant challenges in working together to promote political reconciliation and in addressing serious economic and humanitarian needs. The high level of political violence and repression that followed the 2008 elections has subsided, but serious human rights abuses continue. The nascent recovery of the economy, which effectively collapsed in 2008, is tenuous. Zimbabwe is in debt distress, and the official unemployment rate remains over 90%. Humanitarian conditions have improved in the past three years, but localized food insecurity and high chronic malnutrition rates persist. Poor water and sanitation conditions led in 2008 to a nationwide cholera outbreak that killed over 4,000 people, and despite improvements, one-third of rural Zimbabweans still lack clean drinking water. Deteriorating conditions in the country over the past decade led many Zimbabweans to immigrate to neighboring countries, and these economic and political migrants continue to place a substantial burden on the region.
International donors welcomed the power sharing agreement, but have been cautious in reengaging the government. They have predicated a resumption of significant donor aid on additional political reforms. Many remain skeptical that true power sharing exists in the government, which includes several officials from the previous administration. Some question the commitment of the former ruling party, seen as autocratic and repressive by critics, to reform. Foreign investors also remain wary, amid uncertainty regarding the timetable for new elections, tentatively expected in 2012. Substantial movement on outstanding reforms is unlikely at least until after the elections are held.
The U.S. government has been critical of Mugabe and members of his former regime for their lack of respect for human rights and the rule of law, and has enforced targeted sanctions against top government officials and associates since 2002. The United States has, at the same time, provided substantial humanitarian assistance to Zimbabwe. Congress articulated its opposition to the Mugabe government's undemocratic policies in the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001 (ZDERA; P.L. 107-99) and subsequent legislation. Some in Congress have proposed policy changes in recent years, suggesting that U.S. sanctions be modified to reflect Zimbabwe's current political construct, while others remain unconvinced that sufficient reform has occurred. Debate on the future of U.S. relations with Zimbabwe is ongoing.