Prime Minister Gaston Browne says helping negotiate Zimbabwe’s return to the Commonwealth will be among his first challenges as chairman of the association, more than two decades after the southern African country withdrew.

Speaking on the Browne and Browne Show on Saturday, Browne said efforts were underway to bring Zimbabwe back into the organization.

“We’re currently working with Zimbabwe to get them back in,” he said, describing negotiations over its return as one of his first challenges during his two-year chairmanship.

Browne did not outline a negotiating timetable, identify outstanding conditions or announce an agreement among member countries to approve readmission.

Zimbabwe joined the Commonwealth at independence in 1980. It was suspended in 2002 following a disputed presidential election and withdrew in December 2003 under then-President Robert Mugabe after Commonwealth leaders extended the suspension.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa began the process of seeking readmission in 2018. The Commonwealth said Zimbabwe would need to demonstrate compliance with its fundamental values, including democracy, the rule of law, human rights and freedom of expression.

Browne’s proposed diplomatic role would form part of a wider membership process involving the Commonwealth secretary-general and existing member governments. Under the association’s published procedures, admission requires consensus among Commonwealth heads of government.

Zimbabwe’s democratic and human rights record has remained central to consideration of its application.

In June 2025, the British government said it wanted Zimbabwe to return when conditions were right, acknowledging progress but calling for further steps on democracy, governance and human rights. It emphasized that membership decisions belonged to all Commonwealth states.

The Commonwealth Secretariat has also previously acknowledged progress. Following an assessment mission in November 2022, it said Zimbabwe had advanced toward readmission and reported support for a return among the government, opposition parties, civil society and religious leaders consulted.

Browne raised the issue while discussing Antigua and Barbuda’s hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and his responsibilities as chair.

His remarks signaled support for advancing Zimbabwe’s application but did not establish when the country might return or whether the necessary consensus had been secured.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Antigua and Barbuda PM makes Zimbabwe’s Commonwealth return an early priority.