Mines Minister Obert Mpofu told United States ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGhee that only three people had died at Chiadzwa and their deaths were the result of internal disputes not involving the military or the police.
He said the ambassador was welcome to visit Chiadzwa and see for himself because Chiadzwa was now under control and the ambassador would see for himself that there was no longer any illegal activity.
The ambassador had paid a courtesy call on the minister to press on two issues: the importance of boosting electrical supplies to support renewed economic activity and ongoing US concern about violence in the Chiadzwa diamond fields.
Mpofu said there was renewed investor interest in the mining sector and South Africa’s Industrial Development Corporation would be stepping in to help boost power supplies at Kariba.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 09HARARE392, AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH ZIM MINING MINISTER
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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO3891
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0392/01 1321528
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 121528Z MAY 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4465
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2812
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2932
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1375
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2195
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2560
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2980
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5421
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2104
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000392
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. WALCH
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR J. HARMON AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR MICHELLE GAVIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2019
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH ZIM MINING MINISTER
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (b) and (d)
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SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (SBU) On May 11, the Ambassador paid a courtesy call on
Zimbabwe’s new Minister of Mines and Mining Development,
Obert Mpofu. The Ambassador pressed the ZANU-PF minister on
the importance of boosting electrical supplies to support
renewed economic activity and ongoing U.S. concern about
violence in the Chiadzwa diamond fields. Mpofu was eager to
court U.S. and western investment in the sector and disputed
that there was, or had ever been, any violence in Chiadzwa.
The meeting was brief and cordial, and was also attended by a
representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. END
SUMMARY.
————————————
Minister Courting Foreign Investment
————————————
¶2. (SBU) Ambassador McGee began by explaining his efforts to
meet with ministers of the new government and his belief that
resurrecting the mining sector was critical to turning around
the Zimbabwean economy. He noted that two areas within the
mining sector were of primary concern to the U.S.: Resumption
of coal deliveries to the 750 MW hydro-electric plant at
Kariba that is currently operating at only 50 percent
capacity, and ensuring an end to violence in and around the
Chiadzwa diamond fields in eastern Zimbabwe.
¶3. (SBU) Mpofu agreed on the importance of increasing mining
productivity and touted Zimbabwe’s rich mineral deposits in
over 40 different minerals including gold, platinum, and
diamonds. He cited renewed interest by foreign mining firms
to invest in Zimbabwe and, without naming individual firms,
broadly referred to Australian, British, and Canadian
interest. According to Mpofu, the Industrial Development
Corporation — a state-owned South African development
finance institution — was investing in boosting capacity at
the Kariba plant. Mpofu had also been invited to attend the
International Mining in Africa conference in London on June
¶23. While banned from travel within the EU, Mpofu had been
approved for a visa for the trip.
¶4. (SBU) In response to a question about local and state
ownership requirements that might deter foreign investment,
Mpofu said that the 51 percent local ownership requirement
regarding key industries, such as mining, was “negotiable.”
He recognized that it was irrational to expect large foreign
firms to surrender majority control and possibly even assets
for little or no return.
¶5. (SBU) While discussing Chiadzwa, Mpofu maintained that
only three people had died in the region. Their deaths were
a result of internal disputes not involving the military or
police. (NOTE: This has been the ZANU-PF position and it
has been widely discredited by numerous reports from
residents, NGOs, and independent press that cite the deaths
of several hundred panners at the hands of state agents. END
Qof several hundred panners at the hands of state agents. END
NOTE.) The Ambassador challenged Mpofu to allow Embassy
officials to tour the controlled-access area and Mpofu agreed
to the request. Mpofu said that Chiadzwa was now under
control and upon our visit we would not see any “illegal”
activity there.
——-
COMMENT
——-
HARARE 00000392 002 OF 002
¶6. (C) Mpofu is eager to bring in foreign investment and
likely sees a resurrection of the mining sector as key to
reviving both the economy as well as his party. With
agriculture on its knees, mining is by far the largest
component of national GDP and a large income generator for
Zimbabwe’s unity government.
¶7. (C) Mpofu’s willingness to liberalize investment
restrictions is encouraging. However, Mpofu is also a
staunch Mugabe loyalist who benefited from war veteran and
youth-directed violence and intimidation in his home district
that helped him retain his seat in Parliament. It is far
from clear that he would agree to genuine liberalization at
the expense of ZANU-PF insiders who continue to benefit from
their privileged status. END COMMENT.
MCGEE
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