Details and value of agreements between Zimbabwe and China- Mthuli Ncube

National Pharmaceutical Warehouse

In addition, the People’s Republic of China set aside approximately US$24 million for the construction of the National Pharmaceutical Warehouse in Harare which was also completed in June 2022 with the warehouse set to hold approximately 10 000 pellets of medicine.

500 Boreholes

To help ease the water crises, the People’s Republic of China funded the construction of 500 boreholes in Masvingo and Matabeleland  provinces.

COVID-19 Mitigation Assistance

To mitigate the impact of COVID 19 pandemic, the Chinese Government renovated and upgraded Zimbabwe’s main isolation centre at Wilkins Hospital and donated 2 000 000 surgical masks, 90 000 test kits, 137 ventilators and oxygenators, 152 500 protective suits, 560 000 protective gowns, 500 000 syringes, and 1 900 000 doses of vaccines.

Also a 10 member team of medical experts from China were brought in with a consignment of medical supplies including ventilators, nucleic acid testing kits, face masks and medical protective suits.

Chinese Aid – Cyclone Idai

The People’s Republic of China availed US$800 000 emergency humanitarian assistance to the people affected by Clycone Idai as well as rehabilitation of critical infrastructure damaged by Cyclone Idai. The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Zimbabwe signed an agreement with the local UNDP Office to provide roofing materials to community housing and selected health and educational facilities in Chimanimani and Chipinge.

Furthermore, China led the rehabilitation and recovery programme in areas that were ravaged by Cyclone Idai by tasking six Chinese companies operating locally to undertake the repair of roads and power infrastructure, drill boreholes, build houses and communication networks.

Since 1980, Zimbabwe contracted loans from China amounting to approximately US$2.7 billion. I have a schedule of contracted loans but let me read them through. For example:

• There is IDC Phase 1 loan which is US$14.6 million which was signed on 8 May 1997.
• There is IDC Phase 2, US$7 million signed on 19th January, 2000.
• There is DDF equipment project of US$8.6 billion signed on 23rd February, 2001.

All these loans are coming through the China-Exim Bank which is owned by the People’s Republic of China.

• There is Sinosure, ZISCO Steel facility of US$54.9 million signed on 15th August, 2012.
• There is agriculture equipment loan of US$29.2 million signed on 30th October, 2006.
• There is also an additional agricultural project loan signed on 22nd February, 2008 amounting to US$37.6 million.
• There is NetOne National Mobile Broadband project loan facility of US$68 million signed on 26th June, 2019.

All that we have raised was extended through the China-Exim Bank.

Continued next page

(118 VIEWS)