The Friends of Zimbabwe group held in annual meeting in Oslo on June 1.

Among the participating members were delegates from the United States, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, the European Commission (EC), the EU Council Secretariat, International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, African Development Bank, and the United Nations.

Following the meeting, the Friends of Zimbabwe released the following statement: "Our meeting today underlines our continued support for Zimbabwe’s Inclusive Government and our wish to see the speedy resolution of the outstanding issues in the Global Political Agreement (GPA), which have been the focus of intense negotiation in recent months.

"While recognizing that GPA is an agreement achieved between parties in Zimbabwe for transitional power-sharing and democratic reforms, we consider the implementation of the GPA as the basis for our re-engagement in Zimbabwe.

"We agreed that, while some aspects of the situation in Zimbabwe have improved since the Berlin meeting last October, in order to support a truly sustainable solution to the numerous problems Zimbabwe faces, much work remains to be done to implement the range of commitments made by the parties in September 2008."

The focus of the discussions, continued the statement, was to determine "how we, as friends and development partners, can best assist this Zimbabwean led process towards transformation and democratic recovery. As a group, we resolve to intensify the effort we are making in cooperation with the Inclusive Government to support the democratization process, to protect the livelihoods of the poorest people and to improve the provision of basic services in health, water and education.

"We are also prepared to support the rehabilitation of key infrastructure which is so essential for economic and social recovery."

The Friends of Zimbabwe have significantly increased their assistance to Harare since 2009. The UN has played a crucial role in this process, funneling $651 million in humanitarian aid to Zimbabwe in 2009.

"In recognition of the progress achieved in the area of macro-economic stability, the Friends of Zimbabwe also supported the restoration of Zimbabwe’s voting rights at the IMF," said the statement.

"We strongly support the effort being made by South Africa and other regional actors to move the political process forward... We trust this will lead to the creation of conditions conducive for the holding of democratic elections… we stand ready to support initiatives aimed at ensuring a peaceful and credible electoral process, from the early stages of preparation to the implementation of its results.

"The period since the Berlin meeting has seen some restrictive measures against certain individuals and entities eased. These measures are carefully targeted and are kept under review. We remain ready to respond positively to tangible progress made by the Inclusive Government in implementing key provisions of the GPA.

"We recognize the urgent need for constructive and progressive empowerment measures which add value to Zimbabwe's economy, and stand ready to support effective efforts in this regard.

"Genuine empowerment, and the return of millions of skilled Zimbabweans to their homeland, is best achieved by respect for the rule of law and the creation of an enterprise-friendly environment, including the respect of Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreements. We urge Zimbabwe to pursue the extraction of its natural resources in a manner that benefits its citizens," said the Friends of Zimbabwe statement.