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Zimbabwe

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Map of Zimbabwe Last updated: 19 June 2009

 

 

Country information

Map of Zimbabwe

Area: 390,757 sq. km (150,872 sq. mi)
Population: 13.5 million (UN 2008). Note: more than 3m Zimbabweans are now estimated to live outside the country
Capital City: Harare (population of Greater Harare: 1.1 million)
People: Shona, Ndebele, Others (10%)
Languages: English (official language), Shona and Ndebele
Religion(s): Christian (various); indigenous; small
Hindu/Muslim/Jewish communities
Currency: Zimbabwe dollar  was suspended by the Zimbabwe government in April for at least a year following hyper-inflation. US dollars and South African rand most commonly used currencies.
Head of State: President Robert Mugabe (since 1987)
Prime Minister: Morgan Tsvangirai (since February 2009)
Foreign Minister: Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (since April 2005)
Membership of international groupings/organisations: United Nations (UN), International Monetary Fund (IMF - Zimbabwe's voting rights are currently suspended); World Bank, African Union (AU), Southern African Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and Non Aligned Movement (NAM). Zimbabwe decided to withdraw from the Commonwealth on 7 December 2003 following its suspension from the Councils of the Commonwealth.

HEALTH

Travel Health Advice

ECONOMY

GDP: 1.96 bn USD (2008 estimate)
GDP growth: -12.6% (2008 estimate)
Inflation: Estimated at 500 billion% in September 2008 but dollarisation of the economy in early 2009 has stemmed inflation.
Major Industries: Agriculture, manufacturing, mining.
Major trading partners: South Africa, China.

In spite of having once had a well-developed infrastructure and financial systems, Zimbabwe's economy has declined rapidly since the late 1990s as a direct result of the poor governance of the Mugabe regime. GDP has fallen by half since 1998.  All sectors of the economy have been affected, especially agriculture.  According to the IMF, the economy contracted by 14.1% in 2008 but is expected to expand by 2.8% in 2009.  Budget revenue in 2008 was $133 million, while donors gave $670 million in aid.  Electricity is severely restricted and there are frequent water shortages. Unemployment is reportedly around 94%.  Life expectancy – at 37 for men and 34 for women - is the lowest in the world. HIV/AIDS kills an average of 50 people a day.  Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, but has been severely disrupted by land resettlement. This has led to a collapse in investor confidence and the flight of capital. Agricultural production has shrunk by over 50% since 1996 and there will be no commercial grain crop in 2009. Violent farm invasions continue while half the population is now receiving food aid.  Zimbabwe was suspended from voting at the IMF as a consequence of its non-compliance with obligations under the Fund’s Articles of Agreement and its failure to co-operate with the Fund on policy advice.  This is an issue the international community may review as part of a package of measures to support and encourage economic reform.

Zimbabwe does not receive loans from the IMF or World Bank because of its failure to repay arrears to both institutions.  However, an IMF mission recently visited Zimbabwe following the creation of the inclusive government and the appointment of Tendai Biti as Finance Minister.  Discussions are continuing, particularly on technical assistance.

The IMF and Zimbabwe

HISTORY

Until the 19th century the area was ruled by a succession of Shona kingdoms, including the builders of the famous Great Zimbabwe complex (from which the country takes its name). By the 1820s internal and external pressures had led to the collapse of the Shona polities, laying the country open to occupation. Nguni conquerors from South Africa occupied what is now Matabeleland, and in 1890 Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa Company (BSAC) founded Salisbury (now Harare) and took control of the rest of the country by 1893. The BSAC's defeat of the 1896 Shona and Ndebele rebellion (the 'First Chimurenga') secured the country for widespread European settlement. In 1923, after a referendum which rejected union with South Africa, the country became a self-governing colony. In an attempt to pre-empt black majority rule the white-controlled Rhodesian parliament made a Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965, leading to a 15 year guerrilla war ('the Second Chimurenga'). After the Lancaster House agreement in 1979 the country returned briefly to direct British rule, and elections were held in 1980.

The Shona-dominated Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) won a majority (57 out of 80) of seats available to blacks (20 seats had been reserved for a separate white election) in the new parliament, and its leader, Robert Mugabe, became Prime Minister. ZANU used its majority gradually to amend the constitution, introducing, for example, an executive presidency to which Mugabe was elected in 1987. In the same year, following several years of conflict in Matabeleland ('the gukurahundi'), ZANU and its Ndebele-dominated rivals, the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) signed a Unity Accord which merged the two parties into the Zimbabwe African National Union-Popular Front. ZANU-PF exercised a virtual monopoly on national politics until the emergence of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in 1999.

BBC News Country Profile: Zimbabwe

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Zimbabwe generally has good relations with its neighbours. SADC (Southern African Development Community) members have not publicly confronted Zimbabwe on humanitarian, human rights and related political issues, although the Presidents of Tanzania, Botswana and Zambia have been critical of Mugabe in the past.  Others, particularly Mozambique, South Africa and Namibia have been reluctant to speak out, largely because of historic loyalties.   In early 2007, South Africa's president Mbeki was charged by SADC with mediating in Zimbabwean politics, in preparation for the 2008 elections. Following the MDC’s withdrawal from the second round of the elections due to ZANU(PF)-perpetrated violence against their supporters, the SADC continued to negotiate a power-sharing agreement.  Under pressure from South Africa, Tsvangirai agreed to sign the agreement in February 2009.  The SADC remains responsible for ensuring the agreement is implemented fairly, and for providing initial financial support to the new government.  The African Union (AU) has endorsed the SADC’s lead on Zimbabwe.  The South Africans in particular are keen to see the power-sharing agreement work.  Not only did President Mbeki act as the broker between Mugabe and Tsvangirai, but there are up to three million Zimbabwean refugees still living in South Africa.

Outside of SADC, relations with the rest of Africa are primarily handled in the context of the AU. Zimbabwe's straitened economic circumstances, and relative international isolation, have inhibited its participation in continental and international political programmes such as peacekeeping.

Defence relations with donors began to sour in 1997, when an arms embargo was imposed by the EU in response to Zimbabwe's intervention in DR Congo. Political relations declined rapidly after 2000 because of ZANU-PF's political and economic programmes, particularly the seizure of land, the introduction of repressive legislation and increasing violence against its political opponents. In 2002 the EU introduced targeted measures in the form of an asset freeze and travel ban on individuals and entities associated with the violence and human rights abuses of the Mugabe regime. These measures have been renewed and extended annually, most recently in January 2009. These measures do not hurt ordinary Zimbabweans, nor does the EU  have any economic sanctions against Zimbabwe.(see "EU Common Position" below).

In 2004, Mugabe announced a 'Look East' policy, primarily intended to revive Zimbabwe's economy in the absence of investment from elsewhere. Close relations with China and Iran in particular are being cultivated under this policy, China is now Zimbabwe's second biggest export market (by value) after South Africa, but Chinese investors are reluctant to risk capital in the country.

Zimbabwe withdrew from the Commonwealth in December 2003 following its suspension in 2002.

Southern Africa Development Community

African Union

EU Common Position

Bilateral Relations with the UK

Visits

UK concerns about the Mugabe government's policies meant there was no high-level contact.  This changed when the MDC entered into the power-sharing agreement and the Foreign Secretary welcomed Finance Minister, Tendai Biti, to a meeting in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in April 2009.  This was the first meeting between British and Zimbabwean Ministers since April 2000.  In May 2009 the Minister for Africa, Mark Malloch-Brown, met Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Foreign Minister Simbarashi Mumbengegwi in South Africa.  Most senior members of ZANU-PF are prohibited from visiting the UK by the EU travel ban currently in place.

UK Nationals

There are approximately 10,000 UK nationals registered with the British Embassy in Zimbabwe.

Cultural Relations

The British Council Zimbabwe is the focal point for cultural relations between Britain and Zimbabwe.

Policy

For recent statement of UK policy towards Zimbabwe enter Zimbabwe into the search engine of the Hansard website.

GEOGRAPHY

Zimbabwe is twice the size of the United Kingdom. The country is completely land-locked, occupying the high plateau between the Zambezi River to the north and the Limpopo to the south, with a mountainous region in the east. Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana border Zimbabwe (clockwise from the north).

TRADE AND INVESTMENT

UK investment in and trade with Zimbabwe has declined in recent years.

UK Trade & Investment Country Profile: Zimbabwe

Development

The decline of Zimbabwe's once flourishing economy means that the number of people living in poverty is increasing, with 80% of the population living on less than $2 a day (2006). On the Human Development Index Zimbabwe ranks 151 of 177 countries (HDI 2007/8, UNDP)]. The frequency of acute malnutrition declined in 2004, partly as a result of large-scale food-aid, but around half the population is still receiving food aid.

The level of HIV infection is one of the highest in the world, with 15.6% prevalence in adults aged 15-49, (Zimbabwe National HIV Estimate 2007), down from a peak of 26.5% in 2001. AIDS-related illnesses account for about three quarters of hospital admissions. As a result, life expectancy has fallen to 37 years for men and 34 for women [WHO, 2006], from an historical high of 55 years The social cost is also immense. In 2005 UNICEF found that 1 in 4 children had lost one or both parents to AIDS: the highest rate in the world.

The UK's aid to Zimbabwe is providing lifesaving social protection and humanitarian assistance until the new government can implement the political and economic reform that will allow the donor community to move to development assistance. The UK is one of the largest donors and DFID gave £49 million last year in aid.  DFID announced a further £15 million package to help the people of Zimbabwe in April 2009 and expect to give around £50 million in total this year - although this could increase depending on progress on reform.   All aid is channelled through UN agencies and civil society organisations.

The most recent funding is aimed at addressing a number of urgent priorities identified by Zimbabwe’s new inclusive government and focuses in particular on improvements in the health system, improving access to clean water and providing more support for small-scale farmers.  DFID gave £10 million in November in response to the cholera epidemic and £9 million to the UN’s World Food Programme.

Department for International Development Country Profile: Zimbabwe

POLITICS

At the elections of March 2008, ZANU(PF) lost its parliamentary majority  for the first time since independence.   Mugabe also lost the first round in the presidential contest, although the official figures put Tsvangirai just short (with 47%) of the 50% plus 1 required for outright victory.   The subsequent Presidential run-off election, scheduled for June 2008, was marred by random violence against MDC supporters, leading Tsvangirai to withdraw.  Under SADC auspices, President Mbeki of South Africa brokered a power-sharing agreement between ZANU(PF) and the two MDC formations (see below) in September but negotiations remained deadlocked over allocation of Ministerial positions.  Under pressure, Tsvangirai finally agreed to enter into government with Mugabe and was inaugurated as Prime Minister in February 2009.

Tsvangirai’s  MDC has a majority in the lower House of Parliament (House of Assembly), while ZANU(PF) has a majority in the Upper House (Senate).  The MDC party is split into two factions – the larger faction, MDC-T led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and the smaller, MDC-M, led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara.  ZANU(PF) have a small majority of Ministerial rank positions.  The President and both Deputy Presidents are ZANU(PF), the Prime Minister is MDC-T, one Deputy Prime Minister is MDC-T and the other MDC-T, 21 Ministers are ZANU(PF), 16 are MDC-T and 4 MDC-M.

The current inclusive government is a transitional arrangement.  A cross-party committee has been established to draft a new constitution.  Once drafted and approved, new elections should be held in 18-24 months time.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Zimbabwe's human rights record since 1999 has been vigorously criticised by the international community including the European Union, the Commonwealth, the United Nations, and the African Commission for Human and Peoples' Rights, as well as by the United States and other countries. The widespread random violence perpetrated by ZANU(PF) youth and war veteran groups that marked the election period in 2008 has now abated, but human rights issues are still of serious concern.  Independent media is stifled, and human rights defenders are harassed, assaulted and prevented from holding peaceful demonstrations. Repressive legislation is in place, limiting fundamental freedoms. Prison conditions are cause for serious concern, torture occurs regularly and there is a general culture of impunity, whereby perpetrators of abuses are not prosecuted or even encouraged. The formation of the inclusive government has led to the release of most political prisoners, although many remain on strict bail conditions and the justice system remains opaque and corrupt. Violent farm invasions have increased in early 2009.  

Human Rights Annual Report 2006

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