Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum has called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to sign deals that comply with human rights and prioritize the majority population not a clique of elite minority.
Speaking during a High level dialogue on human rights and international re-engagement, NGO Forum Director, Blessing Gorejena said deals being signed by Mnangagwa should be able to benefit even the smallest groups of people in the community.
She expressed concern that some of the deals signed by government will likely leave a debt which can disadvantage the already disadvantaged groups in society.
“Debt and economic diplomacy are a threat to human rights as states that are desperate for investment enters into deals that are not human rights sensitive. Exclusive approach to re engagement creates a danger of government getting involved in business, leaving out other actors,” she said.
Gorejena added: “Engagement centered a small powerful group does not benefit the whole country.”
She urged leaders to sign deals that they can be accountable to, as lack of accountability creates a danger of grand corruption, illicit financial flows, money laundering which can be systemic.
She also added that Zimbabwe’s foreign policy must respect and observe human rights and rule of law as contained in the Africa Union Constitutive Act, Human rights Charter and SADC Protocol- useful for any future re-engagements.
Her sentiments were echoed by Arnold Tsunga, Africa Director for International Commission of Jurists, who said the reason why local resources are a curse to people that live in remote areas is because the government only looks at attracting business people and does not care about human rights of the people.
He also challenged the “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” Mantra saying it is violating marginalized people’s rights.
“How is Zimbabwe opening for business when people on the ground are having their rights violated? We say we are open for business but there is a very small group of people controlling investments without many form of accountability. We need an investment policy that has a human rights analysis and environmental analysis before getting into deals,” he said.
Since coming into power in November last year, Mnangagwa has signed more than five deals and Memorandum of Understandings with foreign investors running into billions of United States dollars.
