FEC

Strong will for re-engaging international community

— Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in Southern Africa.  Would you tell us the current features of your country?

Zimbabwe is strategically located as a transport hub in the region.  Zimbabwe has a tropical climate and because of the central plateau, the climate is generally mild and comfortable.  The population of Zimbabwe is about 15 million.  Transport infrastructure includes three international airports, roads, railroads, oil pipeline and electric power lines.  External trade is through the ports of neighbouring countries.  Main sectors of the economy are; agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism and hospitality.  Zimbabwe was known as “Bread Basket of the Region”.

Looking back at history briefly, Cecil Rhodes and his British South Africa Company occupied the country in 1890.  He named the country Rhodesia and made it a British colony.  It was a violent occupation with massive land and cattle grab and displacement of the inhabitants.  Land expropriation continued up to the late 1960s.  In 1965, the settler white minority government unilaterally declared independence from Britain leading to international sanctions and isolation.  The liberation war continued and intensified for 15 years ending in 1979 following the Lancaster House Conference which ushered Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980 with Robert Mugabe as Prime Minister.  Since 2000, Zimbabwe experienced economic challenges due partly to successive droughts following the land reform programme.  This led to sharp decline in production.

— How tough has been the economic situation since then?

Due to decline in production, the country experienced hyper inflation resulting in the printing of Bearer Cheques. The situation stabilized somewhat after the government abandoned the Zimbabwean dollar in favour of a multi-currency regime in 2009.  The economy rebounded, with growth rates of around 10% per year in 2010-13, following the establishment of a government of national unity (GNU).  However, the EU and US sanctions which were imposed following the land reforms, tended to slow growth after 2014.  In 2016 faced with severe shortage of cash, the government introduced “bond note” (a substitute currency) that locally has the same value as the U.S. dollar, tightened exchange control and anti-corruption measures.  In 2016 and 2017, El Nino induced drought and widespread flooding respectively hit our agro-based economy severely. We appreciate food aid from the international community including Japan in response to the drought and emergency support during floods too. The government’s Command Agriculture (Special Maize Production and Import Substitution Programme) in 2017, yielded positive results, increasing agriculture output (and the country attaining its ‘Bread Basket of the Region‘ status once more) thus mobilising economic activities of downstream industry. The economy is forecast to grow by some 4% in 2018 (if agriculture does well again).

— How do you see the recent development of Zimbabwe-Japan relations?  What is your priority mission to reinforce the bilateral ties?

Zimbabwe and Japan have enjoyed good relations for 36 years.  Zimbabwe has benefited from Japanese assistance in many areas including infrastructure development and human resource development. Dam construction, bridge construction telecommunications equipment, irrigation scheme and the Zimbabwe/Zambia One-Stop Border Post are testimony to the infrastructure development assistance. Under competence enhancing courses, Zimbabwean students, medical personnel and doctors study at Japanese universities and institutions. My priority is to disseminate information on investment opportunities in Zimbabwe to many Japanese companies, prospective investors and expand investment from them.  Zimbabwe is a resource rich country with many minerals (gold, platinum, chrome, diamonds, tantalite, lithium etc) that need exploitation and beneficiation.  Tourism is also an important sector, and I hope to increase the flow of Japanese tourists to sightseeing spots such as Victoria Falls and many other areas of interest.

— The Southern African Development Community (SADC) of which Zimbabwe is a member celebrated its 25^th anniversary.  How is the regional cooperation and integration progressing?

SADC has gone through many developments.  Transport networks are being developed to ensure good connectivity among member states.  We have the ongoing one-stop-border post (OSBP) concept and bridges construction and the SADC Trade Protocol to facilitate the ease of moving goods/traffic among countries and so encourage intra-regional trade.  Power development is another area of close cooperation.  SADC has a Power Pool which connects the SADC power grids, so that power can be efficiently traded among the member states to ensure optimal usage of power.  Zimbabwe hosts the SADC Power Pool which links 12 continental countries’ power utilities and is working on a joint hydro power project with Zambia.  For tourist, SADC univisa plan, currently only between Zimbabwe and Zambia is being implemented in phases to allow free movement of tourists in the region.  There is close cooperation in regional security too.

— What are main agendas for  Zimbabwe’s new leader Mr. Emmerson Mnangagwa?

In his inaugural speech, President Mnangagwa appealed for national unity.  He reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s membership of the United Nations, the African Union and SADC, and committed to maintain its friendly foreign policy without an enemy country.  Zimbabwe has suffered great harm as a result of sanctions.  He said Zimbabwe was now ready for a steady re-engagement (now in progress) with all the nations of the world and he pledged commitment towards settling our obligations/debts.  He assured that all foreign investment would be safe and protected.  Revitalizing Zimbabwe’s economy is the key issue and that we need a stable and functioning economy.  The President assured investors of policy consistency.  He said land (the cause of the liberation war) reforms would not be reversed, but that former white farmers whose land was acquired would be compensated.  Anti-corruption drive would be intensified as well.

  (Interview by Shu Tamaru, FEC Counsellor)