Commonwealth has said that Zimbabwe has applied to re-join the organisation through a letter dated 15 May to the club Secretary General Patricia Scotland.
The African country left the Commonwealth after a suspension by the club following the 2003 elections.
“I whole-heartedly echo the sentiments of Heads of Government who have said twice, in 2009 and subsequently in 2011, that they very much look forward to Zimbabwe’s return when the conditions are right,” The Secretary General said.
“Zimbabwe’s eventual return to the Commonwealth, following a successful membership application, would be a momentous occasion, given our shared rich history,”
Zimbabwe is likely to benefit economically from re-joining the Commonwealth, a trading bloc with a combined gross national income of 10.7 trillion US dollars for all member states.
The Commonwealth of Nations also provides an ideal forum for the pooling of experience and expertise, the exchange of ideas and the offering of assistance according to the African Business. The sharing of ideas and expertise can help Zimbabwe rebuild itself achieve its dream of becoming a middle economy by 2030.
The southern African country is likely to open new markets for industries and business as the Commonwealth holds a population of nearly 2.4 billion which is almost a third of the world’s population.
Academically, Zimbabweans are also likely to get opportunities of getting education from abroad within the Commonwealth.
The club of formerly British colonies provide scholarship opportunities for students in member states to study abroad and Zimbabweans can benefit by getting education even from the United Kingdom.
The UK has been funding over 900 scholarships and fellowships for postgraduate study and professional development to Commonwealth citizens yearly.
Cases of Zimbabwean students suffering due to lack of food and lack of tuition have been surfacing recently so scholarships may help.
