Foreign relations of Zimbabwe

The Foreign relations of Zimbabwe emphasize a close relationship with the People's Republic of Chinacite book|last=?|first=?|year=?|title=The Great Wall and the Empty Fortress: China's Search for Security|pages=48] and South Africa, nations with close economic ties to Zimbabwe.

Arab world

Zimbabwe established diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia in June 1980 and Algeria on August 31, 1980.cite book|last=?|first=?|year=?|title=Southern African Political History: A Chronological of Key Political Events from Independence to Mid-1997|pages=711-712]

Botswana

Though initially friendly towards Zimbabwe, several disputes between the two countries have soured relations in recent years. Such problems include the fact that Botswana has seen an influx of refugees from Zimbabwe; the building of a fence along the border [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3201609.stm Botswana-Zimbabwe fence row] ] , and has complained on several occasions of a campaign by Zimbabwe's state-run media against the government of Botswana, where it cites claims of human rights abuses against Zimbabwean's and the claim that Botswana, along with the United Kingdom and other countries were supporting the opposition in Zimbabwe [ [http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=6892 Africafiles - Botswana-Zimbabwe] ] . Recently, relations have further been strained when the government of Botswana lodged a protest against the political violence occurring in Zimbabwe and the detention of opposition members in the country, stating it was "uncalled for" [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7452326.stm Veterans ready to fight - Mugabe] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7484165.stm "African call for Zimbabwe unity"] , BBC, July 1, 2008] .

Protesting the outcome of the Zimbabwean presidential election of 2008, and the 'illegitimate' regime in Zimbabwe, President Ian Khama is boycotting the SADC summit on August 16-17, which will instead be attended by the Botswanan Foreign Minister. [ [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5h42ADj9bIF4dl_HB1TbJurp0Y3NA "Botswana president criticises Mugabe"] , AFP, August 15, 2008.]

Relations have further deteriorated between Zimbabwe, Botswana and Zambia after the latter two countries withdrew from a Memorandum of Understanding, excluding Zimbabwe and signed a new one to undertake the construction of the Kazungula Bridge Project on a bilateral basis. This was done despite a caution from the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NPAD) to not let politics interfere with the development project. [ [http://www.talkzimbabwe.com/news/117/ARTICLE/3157/2008-08-12.html "Botswana, Zambia exclude Zim from MoU"] , The Zimbabwe Guardian, August 12, 2008.]

People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union

The People's Republic of China supported Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union while the Soviet Union supported Joshua Nkomo's Zimbabwe African People's Union, competing militant Marxist organizations that sought an end to Rhodesia and the establishment of a one-party Communist state in its place. The PRC's initial investment in Mugabe has continued. China has invested more in Zimbabwe than any other nation with 35 companies spending over $600 million USD.cite web|author=|year=|url=http://english.people.com.cn/200704/24/eng20070424_369050.html|title=China ranks Zimbabwe's top investor: senior official|format=HTML|publisher=People's Daily Online|accessdate=2008-01-19] The close economic relationship between Zimbabwe and China is partly driven by sanctions imposed by Western nations in response to the Zimbabwean government's "continued human rights abuses." [http://www.sabcnews.com/africa/southern_africa/0,2172,147797,00.html Zimbabwe gets Chinese farm machinery worth $25 mln] Reuters via SABC News]

Li Ke, China's Vice-Minister for Economic Relations, visited Zimbabwe for 13 days in September 1980. Mugabe visited China on October 13 and met with Prime Minister Zhao Ziyang.

In June or July 2006 the Zimbabwean government secretly bought Chinese rifles, bullets, anti-riot gear and other military equipment in return for 30 tons of ivory, violating the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species which forbids the sale of ivory. Interpol and CITES, an ivory-watchdog organization, are investigating the sale. [http://allafrica.com/stories/200706270740.html Zimbabwe: Country accused of trading ivory for military hardware from China] , June 27, 2007. AllAfrica] The Zimbabwean government bought six military aircraft from China in 2005 and another six aircraft from three Chinese firms on August 23, 2006. [http://www.sabcnews.com/africa/southern_africa/0,2172,133592,00.html Zimbabwe buys more military jets from China] Reuters via Zimbabwe buys more military jets from China] Two days later the Zimbabwe National Army said it bought 127 trucks for $1.2 million. [http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2006-08/2006-08-25-voa48.cfm Zimbabwe military plans recruitment drive, mulls pay increases] Voice of America]

The Chinese government donated farm machinery worth $25 million to Zimbabwe on April 21, including 424 tractors and 50 trucks, as part of a $58 million loan to the Zimbabwean government. The Mugabe administration previously seized white-owned farms and gave them to blacks, damaging machinery in the process. In return for the equipment and the loan the Zimbabwean government will ship 30 million kilograms of tobacco to the People's Republic of China immediately and as much as 80 million kilograms over the next five years. John Nkomo, Speaker of the House of Assembly of Zimbabwe, praised Cramshina's investment on April 24, 2007 during a state dinner in Harare held during the four-day visit of Jia Qinglin, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, to Zimbabwe. Misheck Sibanda, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Edna Madzongwe, President of the Senate, cabinet ministers, and legislators from both ZANU-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change attended the dinner. [http://allafrica.com/stories/200704230818.html Zimbabwe: China now Zimbabwe's top investor] AllAfrica]

Kenya

Following the controversial Zimbabwean presidential election of 2008, Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga urged the African Union to suspend Zimbabwe until "free and fair elections" have taken place. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7481857.stm "Kenya urges AU to suspend Mugabe"] , BBC, June 30, 2008]

outh Africa

The Government of Zimbabwe took a particular interest in the search for independence for Namibia (South-West Africa) from South Africa. In addition, as chairman of the front-line states in southern Africa, Zimbabwe spoke out vigorously against the policies of apartheid in South Africa and frequently called for the imposition of economic sanctions against the government.Fact|date=April 2007

United Kingdom

Relations between Zimbabwe and the UK have been typically cold, with Robert Mugabe frequently accusing the former colonial power of sabotage; and attempting to invade the country [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7100737.stm BBC NEWS | World | Africa | Zimbabwe 'ready for UK invasion' ] ] . In turn, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown refused to attend an African/European summit while Mugabe was invited, citing Zimbabwe's poor human rights record. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7132218.stm BBC NEWS | Politics | Brown boycotts summit over Mugabe ] ] The UK also did not attend an address by President Mugabe at the 2008UN Food Summit, stating that his presence there was "obscene" [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7430421.stm Mugabe food talks trip 'obscene'] ] .

United States

United States President Jimmy Carter met with Zimbabwean Prime Minister Robert Mugabe in August 1980. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0313291950&id=kZMeeXLSQhsC&pg=PA380&lpg=PA380&ots=WrhUzT-Pwh&dq=Prime+Minister+Mugabe+since+1980&sig=bOq21wtnqZEZF0q85biB7PMFBtQ#PPA380,M1 Page 380] "Notable U.S. Ambassadors Since 1775: A Biographical Dictionary"] Author Geoff Hill criticized Carter for keeping "quiet as Mugabe nationalized the press, committed genocide against minority tribes and subverted [Zimbabwe's] constitution to make himself the sole source of authority." [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN1770071024&id=RTL93ULq3TIC&pg=PA8&lpg=PA8&ots=-BTScbx3-r&dq=Carter+Mugabe&sig=W0tyS2JEpJIVYbzRixka0grta9Q#PPA8,M1 Page 8] "What Happens After Mugabe?"]

French President Jacques Chirac angered the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States when in February 2003 he invited President Mugabe to a Franco-African conference on Africa held in France. Mugabe said he felt "at home" in Paris and "President Chirac insisted that we attend. He held firm to his principles. We need leaders of his stature." Chirac later emphasized that he had not kissed Mugabe on his cheeks when the conference began. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0060760516&id=NhhkRdH_70IC&pg=PA33&lpg=PA33&ots=zPMx0U4TqX&dq=Mugabe+United+States+France&sig=jnfBE3iYlmhEgAdjBLf51qc8Mbc#PPA33,M1 Page 33] "Hating America: The New World Sport"] The UK had previously tried to get the European Union to deny Mugabe the right to come to Europe, citing human rights abuses in Zimbabwe. [http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN1586483471&id=-K6TMxb7ilcC&pg=PA146&lpg=PA146&ots=qsR-pba36Z&dq=Mugabe+chirac&sig=GNTM7kENEAyHHPTx8nGenonMpE8#PPA146,M1 Page 146] "Allies: Why the West Had to Remove Saddam"]

Zimbabwean Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi summoned U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe Christopher Dell on November 9, 2005 and expressed his "extreme displeasure" with comments Dell made a few days earlier in Mutare. Dell had said government corruption had led to food shortages. Mugabe said Dell could "go to hell." [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4420864.stm Zimbabwe voices anger at US envoy] BBC News] Dell left Zimbabwe for Washington D.C., United States on November 9 for consultations after meeting with Minister Mumbengegwi. [http://www.zwnews.com/issuefull.cfm?ArticleID=13164 Ambassador leaves Zimbabwe] Zwnews]

Zambia

Initially the two countries had good relations after gaining independence. However, relations have recently been strained as Zambia, like Botswana, has reported similar 'smear campaigns' against the Zambian government by Zimbabwe's state owned media, claiming it was "hired by Britain to press for a speedy regime change in Harare." The foreign affairs minister, Kabinga Pande, has said it has lodged a protest against Zimbabwe, against the "sustained malicious campaign against Zambia." [ [http://zimbabwemetro.com/2008/06/05/zambia-protests-against-zimbabwe Zambia protests against Zimbabwe] ]

Following the controversial Zimbabwean presidential election of 2008, Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa described Mugabe's Zimbabwe as a "regional embarrassment". [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/africa/2008/zimbabwe/default.stm "Zimbabwe's neighbours"] , BBC, June 2008]

ee also

*Zimbabwean diplomatic missions
*Zimbabwe-Pakistan relations

Further reading

*Schwartz, Richard. "Coming to Terms: Zimbabwe in the International Arena". I.B. Tauris.

References