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Zimbabwe’s 35 years of Independence have been characterised by a shrewd foreign policy that has resulted in tactful cultivation of allies who have helped safeguard the country’s hard-won soveriegnty, analysts have said.
Political analyst Mr Alex Rusero told The Sunday Mail that in particular, the alliance with China and Russia had paid dividends and Zimbabwe had done well to develop the traditional political ties to also encompass economic co-operation.
“Zimbabwe has been extremely tactful in maintaining good relations with the two nations. The relations have grown from being largely political as you may be aware of the support we received from the two counties during our liberation struggle.
“To date the relations are now brokered more on economic relations where you find that Zimbabwe has been engaging more with the two nations in terms of attracting investment.
“So, the relations are blossoming and very pragmatic because they go beyond conferences and indabas to helping alleviate the country from the Western- induced economic crisis of the years gone by.”
A University of Zimbabwe international relations expert said, “Government at Independence extended an olive branch to the Western countries that either oppressed us or supported that oppression. That olive branch was spurned and the country has done well to Look East and cultivate sound economic relations with the likes of China.
“In a world where the direction of global politics is dictated by a single power and her coterie of friends, small nations become puppets.
“In such a world where flat-track bullying and domination of the weak is in vogue, the need for stronger global allies becomes a matter of life and death for developing countries.
“While Zimbabwe can always count on its African brothers for support on matters of global importance and at times protection, when it comes to the high stakes game of global politics, China and Russia are the go to guys.”
A good case in point is July 2008 when Russia and China blocked British and US efforts to apply United Nations Security Council sanctions on Harare. The Russians and Chinese both invoked their vetoes to stop the move, one of a few times in recent history that the two have had to employ a double veto.
The Security Council resolution sought to place military, financial and travel sanctions on Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe’s friendship with the two countries is a long and beneficial one.
The Russian Bear
When a youthful Tarcissius George Silundika (now late), then a leader in the National Democratic Party, entered Moscow in January 1961, he would have not imagined that the Russians would in future become one of independent Zimbabwe’s closest allies.
At the invitation of the Soviet Afro-Asian Solidarity Committee, he had gone to solicit financial support and scholarships for young nationalists.
The result of that trip was a US$8 400 grant for the NDP.
Such grants were to become a regular line of support while their financial value also increased.
Follow-up visits by Zapu nationalists like Cdes Phelekezela Mphoko (now Vice-President of Zimbabwe), Akim Ndlovu and Dumiso Dabengwa resulted in increased support for the fight for independence.
Writes renowned scholar at the Russian Institute of African Studies, Professor Vladimir Shubin: “Soon Zapu leadership requested Moscow to organise military training for its members, especially ‘for subversive work’, for military sabotage and for training in manufacturing of ‘simple small arms’, because it was impossible to bring arms into the country.
“So, in the summer of 1964 two groups of Zapu militants came to Moscow. Apart from studying general military subjects they specialised in guerrilla warfare.
“Military training of Zimbabwean freedom fighters continued for many years, and was becoming increasingly sophisticated, up to Air Force engineers and pilots.
“Apart from training in the USSR, no less important was the assistance provided to the liberation fighters by the Soviet officers in Africa.
“In July 1977 the first group of Soviet officers which consisted of 12 persons, arrived to a Zapu camp, situated 18km from Luena, a town in Eastern Angola (formerly Vila Luso), not too far from the Zambian border and worked there for a year.
“The Soviet group had a mission to train Zapu fighters and commanders and spent exactly a year there, till July 1978.”
Since then relations between the two nations have thrived.
Last year, President Mugabe and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov oversaw the signing of several agreements to develop a US$3 billion platinum project in Darwendale.
The deal is the largest single foreign investment into Zimbabwe.
Project development, which is expected to be completed in 2024, includes the mining of 10 million tonnes of platinum ore to produce 800 000 ounces, pushing Zimbabwe’s overall output to over one million ounces and creating 8 000 jobs.
Later this year, a high-powered Russian delegation is expected in the country to explore the prospects of investing in manufacturing of vaccines and medicines for livestock, infrastructure and new technologies.
The Chinese Dragon
Sino-Zimbabwe relations also date back to the liberation struggle when the Zanu leadership entered a pact with Chinese officials to support the Second Chimurenga.
This resulted in military support for Zanla, through training of liberation war fighters, and supply of light and heavy military hardware.
Over the past decade, Zimbabwe fine-tuned its Look East policy to trade relations with Asian countries and China has been at the centre for this, moving into the local mining, manufacturing and agriculture sectors, among others.
Bilateral trade last year grew to over US$1,1 billion, up more than 300 percent from the US$300 million worth of trade in 2005.
China has become a major source of imports for Zimbabwe while the Asian economic powerhouse is the biggest consumer of Zimbabwean tobacco.
In 2003, trade amounted to $197 million, $275 million in 2006, before quickening to $842 million in 2011 and $915 in 2012, breaching the billion mark last year.
Last year, President Mugabe was invited on a State visit to China — a visit likely to be reciprocated later this year — and sealed a raft of multi-billion-dollar mega deals covering energy, water, infrastructure, mining, ICTs and agriculture.
Online Reporter