The European Union said Tuesday it has given eight million dollars to Zimbabwe to help fund a programme to draft a new constitution meant to pave the way for fresh elections.

Efforts to write a new charter, meant to get underway in July 2009, have stalled as officials complain they lack enough money to conduct a public outreach campaign to gather voters' opinions on the charter.

"In order for the project to move forward, we are therefore pleased to grant our approval to the first quarterly work plan which amounts to 8,117,831 United States dollars (six million euros)," Xavier Marchal, EU head of country delegation, said in a letter to Zimbabwean ministers.

"We have also noted that the government of Zimbabwe has pledged its contribution toward the project to an amount of 2,338,496 United States dollars."

Under Zimbabwe's power-sharing deal, the country must draft a new constitution which would be put to a referendum.

Adoption of a charter would lead to new elections following disputed presidential polls in 2008, when President Robert Mugabe won after his main rival Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out citing violence against his supporters.

Tsvangirai last year became prime minister in a unity government, which is beset by disputes over key appointments and the prosecution of top Tsvangirai allies.