The United States is calling on Zimbabwe to lift a ban on aid distribution by non-governmental organizations.
A
U.S. State Department spokesman, Gonzalo Gallegos, said Friday that
there is no reason to prevent aid from reaching Zimbabweans in need.
On
Thursday, the U.S. Agency for International Development called on
Zimbabwe's government to immediately and completely rescind its
suspension of aid groups.
The government imposed the ban June
4, accusing aid groups of supporting opposition leader Morgan
Tsvangirai in Zimbabwe's presidential runoff election.
President Robert Mugabe won the runoff after Tsvangirai withdrew, citing state-sponsored violence against his supporters.
The
United Nations says nearly five million Zimbabweans will require food
aid in the coming months. The country is suffering food shortages
following years of poor harvests.
Critics blame the problems on
government policies, especially a land reform program that transferred
farms to blacks with little farming experience.
