In a bold move, the United States has set sights on Zimbabwe, aiming to transform it into a growth hub for southern Africa and counterbalance China’s growing influence in the region. This initiative emerges from an incisive analysis by former U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Charles Ray, and Michael Walsh, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Africa Programme. They advocate for active Congressional involvement in this strategy.
Washington’s Integrated Country Strategy for Zimbabwe (ICS Zimbabwe) recognizes Zimbabwe as a region of “strategic importance to the United States,” with the potential to become a catalyst for growth in southern Africa. The ICS Zimbabwe report acknowledges China’s expanded influence in the country, granting Beijing considerable access to Zimbabwean natural resources, crucial for the global shift to clean energy.
However, the strategy also notes that the current Zimbabwean economic model primarily benefits a select few, including top government and military officials, leaving the broader population behind. This imbalance raises concerns about the potential increase in corruption and inequities across the country.
The report suggests early Congressional involvement in the planning process, emphasizing the need for support and resources to effectively transform Zimbabwe into a southern African growth hub, aligning with U.S. national security interests.
According to a report by Newsday, the State Department is urged to engage with relevant Congressional committees from the outset to ensure robust support for this policy goal. Congress is expected to welcome innovative strategies for partnering with Zimbabwe, especially given the country’s rich deposits of rare earth metals vital for electronics, batteries, and magnets. The aim is to prevent these critical resources from falling under the control of major global competitors.
However, the report also cautions about the potential costs and risks associated with this long-term objective, considering the historically strained relations between Harare and Washington, marked by economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe in 2001.
