President Emmerson Mnangagwa has issued a robust defence of his country’s economic partnerships and decades-old land reform programme saying Harare will pursue relations that serve Zimbabweans rather than appease Western powers.
Speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai, Mnangagwa rejected comparisons between Chinese investment in Africa and historical Western exploitation saying the focus should be on outcomes rather than old geopolitical narratives.
“Zimbabwe is a sovereign State and we move on the basis that give us the best results of our resources. Whether it is in relation with the West or East what is primary important is what we ourselves as Zimbabweans are satisfied with. We don’t need to please the West or please the East. We please ourselves,” he said
The remarks come at a time when African nations are increasingly courting Chinese capital for infrastructure and development projects even as critics domestically and abroad question the long-term benefits of such arrangements.
Mnangagwa acknowledged the country’s colonial history with Britain but said the country was “very happy with the relations that we have now developed with say countries like China and so on despite being a former British colony.”
His comments reflect a broader strategy of diplomatic engagement that distances Harare from dependence on traditional Western partners, a stance that has been in place since the controversial land reforms of the early 2000s in which commercial farms previously owned by white farmers were redistributed to Black Zimbabweans.
Asked what lessons Zimbabwe had learned since the era of Robert Mugabe, Mnangagwa framed the sanctions imposed by Western governments as unjust and a consequence of the land redistribution.
“Zimbabwe has been under sanctions for decades as a result of us claiming our land from the British and making ourselves independent. We seized the land and gave it to our people so sanctions were imposed on us but in spite of all that constraint we have developed and we are happy that we have developed on our own and we feel very independent,” he said
Mnangagwa reiterated his government’s view that land “did not belong to a race but to Zimbabweans”, a central tenet of the land reform policy.
“When the colonialists took land from us, time came when we asserted ourselves, took back our land and those who wanted to have land at the same basis as the African people of Zimbabwe remained but those who felt superior left.” he said.
On global affairs, Mnangagwa struck a more measured tone when asked about recent events in Venezuela, acknowledging the geographical distance and limited reliable information.
“Venezuela is very far away from Zimbabwe. But I don’t know what we really read in Zimbabwe actually happens in Venezuela but from what we read, we are interested to know why it is happening,” he said.
The World Government Summit, which draws leaders, policymakers and business executives from around the world, provides a platform for governments to showcase priorities and discuss global challenges.
