South African president to lobby for a lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe in UK talks

SAfrican leader to lobby to end Zimbabwe sanctions

LONDON — South African President Jacob Zuma is hoping to persuade Britain to end sanctions against Zimbabwe, his neighbor to the north.

Zuma is meeting with Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Thursday, the second day of his three-day state visit to Britain.

Zuma believes that the lifting of European Union sanctions will help the fragile coalition that is now running Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe’s economy has improved since the coalition was formed last year, but the political differences between President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai make the future uncertain.

Hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans have fled their collapsed economy to look for work in South Africa — and that influx has caused tensions.