Africa Export-Import Bank (Membership of Zimbabwe and Branch Office Agreement) Act, 2005 Article VIII The Harare Branch shall be entitled, for its official purposes when necessary, and in cases where the Government makes such transport available, to use Government transport facilities on terms and conditions not less favourable than those accorded by the Government to any other international organisation or diplomatic mission accredited to the Republic of Zimbabwe. Article IX The Appropriate Authorities of the Republic of Zimbabwe shall exercise to the extent requested by the President, or in his absence by the Executive Vice-President, the powers which they possess with respect to the supply of public services to ensure that the Harare Branch shall be supplied on equitable terms with the necessary public services, including electricity, water, post, telephone, telegraph, transport, drainage, collection of refuse, fire protection and other similar services. In the case of any interruption or threatened interruption of any such service, the Government shall consider the needs of the Harare Branch as being of equal importance with similar needs of essential agencies of the Government, and shall take steps accordingly to ensure that the work of the Harare Branch is not prejudiced. PART IV Article X Exemption from Taxation 1. The Bank, the Harare Branch, its property, assets, income, operations and transactions shall be exempt from all forms of direct taxes and from all customs duties; it being understood that the Bank shall not claim exemption from taxes which are in fact no more than charges for public utility services and which are payable by other international organisations situated or represented in the Republic of Zimbabwe. 2. The Bank, the Harare Branch, its property, assets, income, operations and transactions shall be entitled to a sales tax refund and other indirect taxes in the same manner and to the same extent as are enjoyed by international organisations situated or represented in the Republic of Zimbabwe. 3. The Government shall furnish to the Harare Branch a list of all direct and indirect taxes and levies, as modified from time to time upon any change in or amendment to the laws of the Republic of Zimbabwe. Any amount paid by the Bank or the Harare Branch in respect of direct or indirect taxes from which the Bank and the Harare Branch are exempt shall within thirty days of receipt of a claim submitted by the Harare Branch, be refunded in its entirety by the Government. 4. Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, the Appropriate Authorities of the Republic of Zimbabwe shall take all necessary action to ensure that the property and assets of the Bank (or, as the case may be the Harare Branch), its capital, reserves and dividends, loans, credits, guarantees, securities, and other investments and transactions, interest, commissions, fees, profits, gains, proceeds of realisation and other income, return and moneys of any kind, accruing, appertaining or payable to the Bank or the Harare Branch from any source shall be exempt from all forms of taxes, duties, charges, levies, and imposts of any kind whatsoever, including stamp duty -9-