In the past, the Mugabe government has signed trade agreements with SA, Netherlands and Germany, for example, in which citizens of these nations were assured their investments would be secure.
The EU Ambassador was quoted in the media recently saying “The declarations of intentions of the government of Zimbabwe are most welcome .. that is good news for any investor, not just European ones … Now we are waiting to see how these declarations are translated into concrete legislative acts (approved by Cabinet and gazetted) and implementing policies with rules and regulations which are accessible, transparent, verifiable and applied equally to all.”
He should know that the Zimbabwe government did not lift a finger to stop Zanu (PF) hooligans invading farms belonging to foreign nationals, despite the agreements signed. Does anybody believe any of those investors will return if Mugabe signs yet another trade agreement with SA, Netherlands, etc.?
The EU has been blowing hot and cold on its re-engagement with the Mugabe regime. They joined the US, Australia and Canada in refusing to accept the blatantly rigged July 2013 elections as legitimate. The EU then broke rank and started wooing the regime, pushed mainly by Belgium whose only real reason was to have access to blood diamonds from Marange and Chiadzwa.
Belgium pushed the EU so hard it got what it wanted – the EU ban on the trade of Zimbabwe’s diamonds was lifted. But true to his untrustworthy nature, Mugabe did not keep his promise with the Belgian company that had lobby for the lifting on the ban on his behalf. Instead of selling the diamonds in Belgium he was selling them in the Middle East.
Even if the Mugabe regime scrapped the ill-advised indigenisation and empowerment policies and signed new treaties in blood with every nation guaranteeing the security of all new investors’ property and intellectual rights, that would not restore investor confidence.
What investors want to see is the rule of law and legitimacy fully restored in Zimbabwe. That has to start with removing this illegitimate regime and replacing it with a legitimate one. An illegitimate regime cannot confer legitimacy on anything it does no more than a baboon, declaring himself king of the mountain, would expect the world to pay him homage.
The EU should stop playing cat-and-mouse games with Mugabe by giving the tyrant false hopes that they can somehow help him rig economic recovery. Millions of Zimbabweans are playing dearly for these games – some with their very lives! – Wilbert Mukori, United Kingdom
Post published in: Letters to the Editor