Chinese Investment In Zimbabwe Has Not Benefited Ordinary Citizens - US Ambassador
United States Ambassador to Harare, Pamela Marie Tremont, has said Chinese investments in Zimbabwe have not improved the lives of ordinary citizens, pointing to rising poverty and growing inequalities as evidence, reported ZimLive.
In a podcast interview with J.W. Oliver, Tremont said the number of Zimbabweans living below the poverty line has doubled since 2011, despite the substantial Chinese investment in the country. She added:
Welfare equality in Zimbabwe is actually getting worse. The rich are getting richer. The poor are getting poorer.
Tremont identified weak regulations as a key issue, particularly in the mining sector, where labour rights are frequently ignored, and workers are exposed to hazardous conditions. She said:
Investors have come here without any guardrails, without any guarantees that what they’re taking out of the country is benefiting the people of Zimbabwe.
And so, a lot of that investment and job creation hasn’t really gone to benefit the people of Zimbabwe. Their labour rights aren’t protected.
They’re not paid a fair wage; they’re not given safe work environments. They work in horrific conditions, sometimes using child labour.
Tremont urged the Zimbabwean government to ensure that foreign investments benefit citizens by providing fair wages and safe working conditions.
She contrasted Chinese investments with U.S.-backed initiatives like Zimworks, which she praised for adhering to higher ethical standards. Said the U.S. ambassador:
U.S. companies bring a completely different standard of investment to Zimbabwe.
That’s why there’s such a hunger for more first-world investment, which avoids the abuses we’ve seen in sectors like mining.
There is competition between the United States and China in Zimbabwe which is part of a broader geopolitical and geoeconomic rivalry playing out across Africa.
Since Zimbabwe gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1980, its relations with both the US and China have evolved.
Initially, Zimbabwe maintained strong ties with Western countries, but these relations deteriorated over issues such as land reforms and human rights.
In response, the US and other Western nations imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe, leading to its economic isolation.
This prompted Zimbabwe to seek new allies, adopting the “Look East” policy and strengthening its relationship with China.
As a result, China has become a major investor in Zimbabwe, particularly in sectors like mining, infrastructure, and agriculture.
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