‘New approach to trade vital’

TZ: Three weeks after the fundraising dinner for the UZ resuscitation programme, what do you have say about it?
AM: This has been a very successful exercise. We went into the dinner targeting US$10 million, but we were able to raise US$12,8m. Remember we are having this as an ongoing exercise that will go on throughout the year and we are having this as an annual event. Every year we will have an annual dinner that we will use to announce and review pledges.
What is even more important is that since announcing the US$12,8 million pledges and having released the names of the companies that made the pledges, other companies are coming through now putting forward their own pledges. We will soon be announcing more pledges. I can say there are five major companies who have come up with their pledges. The figure of pledges is going to be heading towards US$15 million.
More importantly we have been able to do what we call a “proof of concept”, a confidence-building demonstration that Zimbabweans are able to strategically give to their own communities and institutions.

TZ: How far have the mega pledges such as the adoption of the Metallurgy Department by Mbada Diamonds and the mega-bucks of Philip Chiyangwa materialised?
AM: We are now discussing with the university and discussing with those that pledge to see what mechanism can be put in place to operationalise the pledge. For the Metallurgy Department, we will start by recruiting teachers, then buy equipment and so on. We are in the process of working out a framework of implementation. We will be doing the facilitation and the trustees will be in charge of how the money will be disbursed.

TZ: And to the now and then of the UZ. Just for an appreciation of how things have changed, how do your old days at the university compare with today?
AM: Our university is in trouble! Just to show you why we had to intervene, the Department of Metallurgy and Mining was shutdown, Geology is in trouble, the Medical School is in trouble, water is an issue and accommodation is a challenge. So when we compare our time and now it is like day and night. When we came to UZ we were coming from the villages where we had chicken and rice once a year — on Christmas day. So we used to call the UZ “Christmas everyday”. It was that good . . . The UZ was better than Wits, UCT and Stellenbosch. Right now our people are sending their kids to these universities because they are better than ours because of this resource deficit. Only if we intervene can we bring the university back to its state of excellence.

TZ: So what does it take to achieve this paradigm of what you call African philanthropy?
AM: I think it is time we start understanding that individual success is not enough. We need collective success. You will never be respected as an individual unless your community is doing well. Yes, you are a businessman, a journalist or an academic but how is your community doing?
The paradigm shift is from individual success to collective success; from receiving assistance to giving assistance, moving away from the idea that only rich people give.
Even the poor can give. It is the collective amounts that will be useful. We are emphasising that although there is an element of charity and philanthropy involved, it is strategic and in the national interest to do so.

TZ: On other issues, what is your take on the constitutional making exercise? 
AM: I think we need clarity in the process. We need better communication. And frankly, it is taking too long: it is three years now.
The parties in the inclusive Government should understand that we got to finish this constitution and carry out other reforms. Actually it is seven reforms — constitution, electoral, political, media and economy, national healing and security sector realignment. These seven things have to be done before an election and we are stuck with one and there are six more to go.
The election is necessary because we need a Government that is led by a legitimate authority chosen by the people in an election. What we need to do is that when there are elections, they are not challenged by the losers.
We must be masters of our own destiny and write our own constitution. There is no space for foreigners in crafting our constitution. Even when the chips are down Zimbabweans should write their own constitution. When South Africans did theirs . . . there were no foreigners involved.

TZ: One of the big ideas that have been identifiable with you is the “Rebranding of Zimbabwe”, what has become of it?
AM: It’s work in progress. We have launched the tourism brand. When I say “brand” of the country, we are talking about a competitive identity and the identity is defined in six areas or the “hexagon of branding”: tourism, trade, investment, people, governance and culture.
If you are known positively and have a competitive identity in the six areas, then you have a good brand. So, working together with the Minister of Tourism we have produced a sub-brand of Tourism and that has been launched as “Zimbabwe a world of wonders”.
Now we are working on the other five. But ideally we are going to produce the Zimbabwe Brand. You see, you can’t move ahead of the Constitution; you can’t move ahead of the National Vision. In fact you must work on the National Brand, the National Vision and the Constitution together.

TZ: Talk of a US$100 billion economy by 2040 has gained currency lately?
AM: The US$100 billion economy is the economic pillar of the National Vision where we also have the social and political pillars. In the economic pillar if we grow our economy by 10 percent for the next 30 years, we will reach a US$100 billion economy mark by 2040.

TZ: And what are the drivers?
AM: This is where we talk about fundamentals. Infrastructure is a key enabler — without water, telecoms, ICT, energy, transportation and public works you can’t deliver a US$100 billion economy. Number two is human capital, and we are very strong on that. Human capital is a major driver to achieve that.
Third is understanding that agriculture is the centrepiece of our economy so we must invest and support agriculture but most importantly we must do agro-processing.
In mining, 25 percent of world diamonds are in Zimbabwe, 90 percent of world platinum is between Zimbabwe and South Africa and of course we have gold and copper among other minerals. We need to make sure that the mining sector is serving the interests of Zimbabweans. This is why we need to make sure that the issues of the asset underground, the mining laws are addressed.

TZ: Bad deals, inefficiencies, undervaluation of resources and non-declaration of the unmined resource have been the story of mining in Zimbabwe. What is being done to correct this trend?
AM: The biggest problem is that our laws governing natural resources are bad laws. We need to change these laws in Zimbabwe, in Ghana, South Africa etc. This is an African wide problem. So, we need a paradigm shift where we put value to the underground asset. The unmined asset has value. What we have been doing in this country has been to give these assets to investors without value.
To solve this issue we need to set up our own exploration company which will identify our geology and establish our mineralisation, quantify our minerals and put value to those assets.
When we meet with investors we tell them the value of the asset and the right to mine will be linked to the value of the asset. When we look at the deals we gave to Anglo, Mimosa, Essar and some in Chiadzwa we didn’t resolve these issues. So we need to get smarter and also make sure the shareholding is in keeping with our indigenisation policies.

TZ: China and Africa. How can there be balance between doing trade with economic superpowers without surrendering your independence?
AM: We are in a very unique position with China because of relations that began in the 1960s. Let us utilise that advantage.
However, when dealing with China let’s do things differently and make sure that in every interaction there is a win-win situation. There must be technological and skills transfer from China to Zimbabwe and more importantly every deal with China must involve value addition. We must never sell raw materials to them but engage them for us to move the value chain.
More importantly, African countries must not deal with China as individuals because we are too small and we will be shortchanged.
We must work on a framework that enables us to negotiate as Sadc with 250 million people, Comesa (400 million) and Africa with a billion people. Surely they will give you a better deal because numbers and scale are important.
South Africa, especially must listen to this advice. They are small with 50 million people and GDP of US$370 billion and its nothing compared to China with US$5 trillion and 1,3 billion people. So there should be a paradigm shift where we engage China as blocs not as countries.
We must understand that national interest lies within the regional interest. That is how we survive under globalisation. Under the current world order, the only viable unit of analysis is the continent.
We are grateful China is looking our way. We refuse to be used by America and Europe who are being outgunned by Asia to attack China.
What is important is to push for value addition and skills transfer. We should not be fighting the Chinese on behalf of America which is fast losing the economic battle. Indeed China is the future.