105. Since February 2009, the GPA has been implemented through what has variously been called
a “power-sharing government”, a “government of national unity” and an “inclusive
Government”. Despite sporadic disagreements between the coalition parties, the inclusive
Government has continued since then. The initial stages of its programme were approved by
the Cabinet on 28 April 2009 in a Government of Zimbabwe “100-day plan” for the period
29 April to 6 August 2009 entitled “Getting Zimbabwe working again” setting out key targets
for ministries and the newly established Organ for National Healing, Reconciliation and
Integration.
III.
Current socio-economic context:
Zimbabwe in 2009
106. Zimbabwe is a multi-party republic with lower and upper houses of Parliament. Its population
is estimated at 12–13 million. 55 The people of Zimbabwe are predominantly black African,
with 80–84 per cent of the population being Shona and 10–15 per cent Ndebele; less than
1 per cent of the population are white Zimbabweans. The majority of Zimbabweans live in
rural or provincial areas. The UNDP estimated that there were 570,000–1,000,000 internally
displaced persons in Zimbabwe by the end of 2008, as well as a significant diaspora. 56
107. Zimbabwe was considered to have a “medium human development” ranking on the Human
Development Index, placed 151st out of 177 countries in 2007. 57 Zimbabwe enjoys high
literacy levels although the World Bank estimated that the net enrolment rate in primary
schools fell significantly in 2008.
108. Zimbabwe’s economy is based principally on mining, agriculture and tourism, all of which are
currently suffering from a severe recession. During 2008, there were large falls in
manufacturing and mineral exports, tourism and tobacco production. 58 Agricultural yields
have dropped in recent years. At the same time, sanctions were imposed by some members of
the international community and some donors have cut or suspended aid operations to
Zimbabwe, alleging human rights abuses. 59 Average inflation for 2008 was estimated to have
been 15 billion per cent, based on a government figure of 231 million per cent in July, when
its official estimates were halted. 60 In Zimbabwe’s 2009 budget, all foreign currency controls
55
UNDP, Human Development Report 2009 (statistics), referring to 2007 data, available at
http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/data_sheets/cty_ds_ZWE.html.
56
Human Development Report 2009, available at
http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2009_EN_Complete.pdf.
57
Human Development Index 2007/8: figure of 0.513. Zimbabwe was not included in the Human
Development Report 2009, which was compiled on the basis of data from 2007, as it was unable or
unwilling to provide the data requested.
58
Economist Intelligence Unit, Country Report – Zimbabwe (Monthly Report, Feb. 2009) p. 6.
59
E.g. United States-targeted sanctions in place since 2003, and European Union-targeted sanctions
since 2002.
60
38
Economist Intelligence Unit, Monthly Report, Feb. 2009, p. 2.
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