The European Union has resumed the donation of financial aid to Zimbabwe for the first time since 2002.
Relations between Harare and the EU have been all but frozen since then and it's seen as a first step in the process of reconciliation.
Our Europe Correspondent Jack Parrock reports from Brussels.
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REPORTER VO:
234 million euro will begin to flow into Zimbabwe from the European Union in aid funding.
BITE: Maja Kocijančič - EU Spokesperson
"Following the last elections when the situation in the country has reached a certain level of political stability decided to gradually start to go back to the path of normalization of relations. This is a gradual process."
REPORTER VO:
The money will be delivered through EU representatives on the ground in Zimbabwe.
BITE: Maja Kocijančič - EU Spokesperson
"This particular cooperation which will be targeted in very specific sectors for example the restorartion of the health system in the country, economic development which will be agriculture based, governance formation and also the support for the civil society."
REPORTER VO:
It has been 13 years since any direct aid has been given to Zimbabwe by the EU - restricted only to charity work.
BITE: Dewa Mavhinga - Human Rights Watch
"The key challenge for the EU is to ensure that there are mechanism to monitor the aid and ensure that it reaches intended beneficiaries and secondly to ensure that the aid is conditioned on human rights respect and good governance issues so that the government of Zimbabwe has got incentives toe end the endemic corruption that has crippled the country's economy."
REPORTER VO:
Some have questioned whether the move is motivated by Robert Mugabe's new position as head of the African Union but the EU insists his travel ban and asset freeze remains strictly imposed unless traveling in his capacity as AU chair.
This is only an incremental step in the improvement of relations between the EU and Zimbabwe but it certainly breeds a sense of positivity which has been closed down for over a decade.
Jack Parrock, Brussels