'British think tank applauds ZANU-PF's land reform programme, indigenisation policy'

Zimbabwe is on the brink of becoming a global major mining power, a renowned British think tank, Chatham House has said.

In a recently published report titled Zimbabwe International Re-engagement: The Long Haul to Recovery, Chatham House applauded ZANU-PF'S indigenization policy, land reform programme and highlighted that the mining sector is set to propel the country to greater heights.

The report, which moves away from the usual rhetoric of demonizing the ZANU-PF government, puts to shame claims by the opposition MDC-T and other civic organisations that ZANU-PF has nothing to show for the years it has been in power.

On mining, the report states:

"The mining sector has been booming. According to one account, in 2012 it surpassed the 15.2 per cent growth target on the back of a continuous rise in production and earnings. The sector raked in more than $1.7 billion in export receipts between January and September 2013 compared with $900 million in 2012. Zimbabwe is a major producer of platinum, gold, ferro-chrome and diamonds. Zimbabwe is thus on the cusp of being a global major mining power; but to become a permanent member of the global mining elite, it will need to invest in new mining technologies."

Zimbabwe's indigenisation policy is also applauded and Chatham highlights that the policy is not unique to Zimbabwe but has been proven to work in other countries.
"Indigenization is not unique to Zimbabwe. Nor is the 51 per cent figure astronomically high; it is now commonplace throughout Africa. Pragmatic foreign investors who have 'indigenized' in other African countries are not averse to ceding shares to locals. Indigenization can in theory raise billions of dollars in assets if done as a consultative process…," reads part of the report.

This disputes claims by the opposition that the indigenization policy implemented by ZANU-PF is responsible for low investor uptake in Zimbabwe. MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been widely quoted denouncing the same policy that his former bedfellows are now applauding.

Touching on the land reform programme that MDC-T has been fond of using as a campaigning tool, the Chatham House report admits that the programme has borne fruits.
"Recent research on Zimbabwe's land transformation shows that, while an elite did benefit, many ordinary black Zimbabweans have also successfully farmed the lands they received."

This new position taken by the think tank pulls the rug from under Tsvangirai who has been using the promise of reversing the land reform programme as a carrot to lure former white commercial farmers to back his now bankrupt party.

ZANU-PF's commitment to steering the economy to safer waters is also categorically recognized.

"The government has also demonstrated through its dialogue with the local and international business sector and other stakeholders, and through its investment and re-engagement drive, which it is taking the situation seriously and is prioritizing economic recovery…it is clear that its economy is in crisis, but it is not alone in this in the region" the think tank said.

Chatham House is home to the Royal Institute of International Affairs and is a world leading source of independent analysis.
The report assesses the principal economic and political challenges and opportunities facing Zimbabwe, and offers recommendations to help normalize the country's relations with the West.