Zimbabwe’s bid to rejoin the Commonwealth has received a boost after UK House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle pledged legislative support for the country’s efforts to regain membership.

The pledge followed talks between Hoyle and Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda during a three-day bilateral visit to the United Kingdom, where the two discussed Zimbabwe’s readmission to the 56-member association.

According to a statement by the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Mudenda told his British counterpart that Zimbabwe had reapplied for membership and that, to a large extent, previous obstacles to its readmission had been removed.

He also cited the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s recent visit to Zimbabwe, noting that no negative observations had been raised during the engagement.

Hoyle expressed support for Zimbabwe’s aspirations and undertook to engage the UK Executive to help expedite the country’s bid for full membership.

The two speakers also discussed ways to strengthen economic cooperation between Zimbabwe and the UK, including business-to-business partnerships and trade and investment exchanges.

They further explored the role of parliamentary scrutiny in identifying barriers and opportunities affecting bilateral economic relations.

Zimbabwe withdrew from the Commonwealth in 2003 amid a dispute over its suspension from the organisation following concerns about the country’s human rights record and the conduct of its 2002 presidential election.

The country formally reapplied for membership in 2018 under President Emmerson Mnangagwa as part of efforts to re-engage with the international community.

The latest talks signal continued diplomatic engagement around Zimbabwe’s ambition to return to the Commonwealth, although the UK Speaker’s support does not itself guarantee readmission.