Zimbabwe Update

Zimbabwe Update

Issue 1/ 2014

This edition of the Zimbabwe Update focuses on the European Union suspending most of its measures on Zimbabwe, but not the travel ban on President Mugabe and preparing to resume bilateral development co-operation, as well as the view of civil society and British government policy on Zimbabwe. It also covers the forthcoming EU Africa Summit, Tendai Biti’s comments that Zimbabwe’s economy is in a serious and deep crisis, President Mugabe’s 90th birthday, food shortages and news on Zimbabwe’s opposition.

ACTSA has produced Zimbabwe Updates for several years. In 2013 we produced monthly updates up to and including September. We are resuming bi monthly updates from 2014 and this, the first update of 2014 covers major developments in January and February 2014.

You can find more details about ACTSA’s work on Zimbabwe on the ACTSA website

EU- Measures/Sanctions on Zimbabwe

The EU has in place restrictive measures, essentially a travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo and appropriate measures, the suspension of government (EU) to government (Zimbabwe) co-operation. The restrictive measures are put in place by reference to various EU treaties; the appropriate measure under article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement[1].

On 19 February 2014 the EU decided to suspend the travel ban and asset freeze on eight individuals who have or had senior positions in the security sector but retain it for President and Mrs Mugabe (see exception below), and retain the arms embargo and restrictive measures on Zimbabwe Defence Industries. This will be reviewed in February 2015. It also decided that as of 1 November 2014 the EU would, unless there was a serious deterioration in governance and human rights, and there was a consensus otherwise, cease its suspension of government to government development co-operation.

There are some in and out of Zimbabwe who say the EU measures have caused or contributed to Zimbabwe’s economic woes and have portrayed them as a modern form of colonialism seeking to impose their will on an independent African state. The EU point to continued assistance for health, education and agriculture, and that it and its member states have contributed over $1billion in development assistance including humanitarian aid in the past four years and do not accept or believe that their actions have contributed to the increase in poverty and collapse of education and health in Zimbabwe. The EU says it is Zimbabwe’s second largest trading partner.

Travel ban on President Mugabe

Whilst the EU position is that a travel ban on President Mugabe remains in force he has been invited to attend the EU Africa summit to be held in Brussels on 2-3 April. It is understood that the UK agreed to President Mugabe being invited as a one off exemption on the basis it did not include travel to the UK and that he had been invited to past EU/Africa summits. It is widely reported that many African countries made it known they would not attend, at least not at Head of Government level, if President Mugabe, who has been made First Deputy Chair of the Africa Union, was not invited.

Zimbabwe Civil Society view

Many in Zimbabwe civil society refrain from publicly commenting on the EU and its member states measures/sanctions on the basis that any statements which may be viewed as supporting or continuing the measures/sanctions are viewed by some as unpatriotic and give support to a colonial mentality. The National Association of Non Governmental Organisations (NANGO) lobbied for the travel ban to lifted for all and have welcomed the EU position that the appropriate measures will cease on 1 November 2014. They reiterated the need for dialogue between the government of Zimbabwe and the EU. The UK Zimbabwe Vigil criticised the decision maintaining the reasons the measures were put in place, concerns on governance and human rights, still apply. The Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum said some civil society organisations were nervous that should the EU resume bilateral aid and provide support to civil society organisations the Zimbabwe government may seek to influence which ones receive assistance and compromise the independence of civil society.

UK government policy

The UK is a major contributor to the European Development Fund. It will have a significant say but no veto on how much and how EU aid is provided to Zimbabwe. It does not expect, at least in the next few years, the EU to propose EU funds going directly to government of Zimbabwe ministries. This seems to be at odds with the EU stance that bilateral development cooperation may resume. The UK says it does not, and has no plans to, provide aid directly to government of Zimbabwe ministries. In practice its Department for International Development (DFID) provides funding to implementing partners in Zimbabwe which in a number of cases effectively pass funding to, or work in close cooperation with, the appropriate government ministry (e.g the Health Transition Fund, which is a multi-donor pooled fund, managed by UNICEF, to support the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare in Zimbabwe, and the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM), launched by the government of Zimbabwe and funded by DFID, which aims to improve attendance rates with a focus on orphans and vulnerable children in primary schools. DFID provides funding via the Crown Agents.)

The UK government says its goal on Zimbabwe is to encourage a peaceful, democratic society where the rule of law and human rights are adhered to, laying the foundations for long term sustainable development. It believes the election in 2013 had many irregularities, particularly the lack of access to and failure to provide an electronic version of the voters roll. In light of these it does not consider the election credible.

The UK is one of the largest aid donors to Zimbabwe. Expenditure for 2012/13 was £82.1million and the budget for 2013/14 is £97 million. DFID states it has three main objectives for its work in Zimbabwe:

·  To protect and rebuild Zimbabwe’s capacity to deliver basic services to the poor

·  To promote sustainable livelihoods for the vulnerable, strengthen household and community resilience and foster growth

·  To support a peaceful democratic transition in Zimbabwe and a stable economy

EU- Africa summit

The fourth EU-Africa Summit will take place in Brussels on 2-3 April 2014. It will bring together leaders of Africa and EU member states, as well as the leaders of EU and African Union institutions. The theme is "Investing in People, Prosperity and Peace”. The EU has exempted President Mugabe from its travel ban and invited him to attend. The UK Zimbabwe Vigil is urging Prime Minister Cameron not to attend if President Mugabe does, citing Gordon Brown did not attend the EU- Africa summit in Lisbon in 2008 as President Mugabe was attending.

Economy: “Zimbabwe in serious and deep crisis”?

Former Economics Minister Tendai Biti stated in a speech on 4 February, “Zimbabwe is mired in a serious, deep crisis”. He said Zimbabwe is experiencing deindustrialisation, that. “84 per cent of the formal sector had collapsed and that problem of the informal economy is that it is a dead economy that does not pay taxes. There is confidence breakdown of the social contract, collapse in government revenue, capital account deficit. There is no doubt that the government of the day is no government as it is clueless, impotent, sterile, idea free and indifferent.” He said Zimbabwe needs US$4 billion in order to resuscitate key sectors such as mining, agriculture and rail cargo transport.

The Economist (15 February) said poverty and penury were increasing in Zimbabwe and most of the responsibility for this is the government’s, citing its ’indigenisation policy‘, which requires all foreign owned businesses with a value greater than $500,000 to cede a 51 per cent stake to black Zimbabweans, as restricting investor confidence.

President Mugabe turns 90

President Mugabe was 90 on 22 February. He is the oldest head of state in Africa and has been either Prime Minister or President for 33 years. He is Africa’s fourth longest serving leader, after the presidents of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Angola. As has been the case for 10 years there has been media speculation on how long his health will enable him to carry out the responsibilities of the President. In a speech on his birthday, which lasted over an hour, he was quoted as saying, "The British – we don't hate you, we only love our country. We love our freedom".

Is there a food crisis in Zimbabwe?

The UN says 2.2 million people will need food assistance until the end of March. The main staple food crop, maize, will be harvested from then. The government of Zimbabwe say there is no crisis, the rains have been good and the maize harvest is expected to be one of the best for years. The UN says food hunger is at a five year high but the expectation is that the situation will improve after March. January to March is referred to as the lean season as those months are the furthest from the main maize harvest.

Political Opposition

One reflection from the 2013 election is that the opposition did not perform as well as they hoped or expected. Whilst some argue that this could be due to voting irregularities many say that cannot be the sole or even main explanation. The main opposition party MDC T may call a congress this year. It is currently not scheduled to hold one until 2016. The leader of the MDC T, Morgan Tsvangirai, has called for the opposition to come together, to unite. The Deputy Treasurer General of MDC T, Elliot Mangoma wrote a letter calling on Morgan Tsvangirai to step down, he was subsequently physically attacked.

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[1] The Cotonou Agreement provides the framework for EU development cooperation with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. Under article 96 if one party to the agreement has failed to fulfil an obligation stemming from respect for human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law referred to in Article 9, a process of consultation then ensues; if the consultations do not lead to a solution acceptable to both Parties, if consultation is refused, or in cases of special urgency, "appropriate measures" may be taken. These procedures, under Article 96, are intended as a measure of last resort and can only be invoked when Cotonou's "essential elements" are deemed to have been breached.