The relations of the United States and Zimbabwe can be defrosting after the southern Africa nation reduced all taxes on US assets that flowed to the country and announced that it has begun to pay compensation to white farmers who lost land during the controversial reforms of expropriation of land that were instituted 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago 25 years ago
The movements arrive in the middle of a wave of radical tariffs imposed in the world of the world for the world of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, already measure that other countries rush to renegotiate with Washington.
Together with his declared objective of reducing commercial deficits with the business partners of the United States, Trump has repeatedly affirmed that white farmers in southern Africa are discriminated against AGAST. Both he and his advisor, the billionaire of Tesla, born in South Africa, Elon Musk, criticized the treatment of white minorities in South Africa, claiming that they face discrimination. Zimbabwe and South Africa have white minority populations that are mainly descendants of British settlers.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe has been in the midst of economic collapse for more than two decades. Around that moment, hyperinflation has woven the economy, killed jobs and has seen the introduction of several legal tenders, from the US dollar to the new Zig backed by gold.
So, could Zimbabwe be trying to please the United States and attract President Trump with the hope of economic profits? And could that work? This is what we know:
Why has Zimbabwe canceled tariffs on US imports?
The releases of the release day of April 2 of President Trump saw boxes from affected countries with various surcharges of goods imported to the US, including Zimbabwe, which was affected with a tax of 18 percent in all the products that it exports there.
The tariffs raised the African nations by President Trump vary. The neighbor Lesotho has been beaten with the highest tax of any African nation with 50 percent, and is currently joining to renegotiate with the White House.
Zimbabwe mainly exports steel, tobacco and sugar components to the USA while the US exports machinery, pharmaceutical products and agricultural products to the Zimbabwe market.
The trade between the two countries is limited, reaching a total of approximately $ 111.6 million in 2024. US exports to Zimbabwe amounted to $ 43.8 million, while Zimbabwe imports were $ 67.8 million. The commercial deficit in favor of Zimbabwe was, therefore, just over $ 24 million, according to the United States government data.
Countries around the world have a bone struggle to negotiate a reduction in tariffs with Washington. On April 9, the White House made a 90 -day break in reciprocal tax increases to give time to countries to reach the agreements and because most countries had not taken reprisals, Trump said. The only exception is China, which has been chosen to face the reciprocal and increase taxes on US imports to the country to 125 percent and will not benefit from the hole.
Zimbabwe has tasks of a completely different approach. In an X publication on April 5, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced that all taxes on US imports would be discarded to build a “positive relationship” with Washington.
The measure is “aimed at facilitating the expansion of US imports within the Zimbabwe market, while the simultaneous promotion of Zimbabwe exports aimed at the United States,” Zimbabwe president said.
Zimbabwe is the first country to suspend tariffs on US assets in response to Trump’s tariffs. Until now, most goods that enter the country have a leg attached to a 15 percent tax.
The principle of reciprocal tariffs, as a tool to safeguard domestic employment and industrial sectors, has merit. However, the Republic of Zimbabwe maintains a policy of failing friendly relationships with all nations and cultivating adverse relationships without any.
In…
– President of Zimbabwe (@edmnangagwa) April 5, 2025
Will the cancellation rates of American products for Zimbabwe?
It’s unlikely, experts say. The Economist based in South Africa Eddie Mahembe de Business Consultancy Underhill Corporate Solutions“ He said that Zimbabwe cannot afford not to tax imports from the United States and that the measure could wars of the country’s already fragile economy.
“It will mean that American goods will flood Zimbabwe, and then kill the economy more,” Mahembe told Al Jazeera. It is likely that local competitors, already affected by hyperinflation and cheap products that come from China, suffer more, he added. Zimbabwe could see less production, more inemployent and even lower revenues of the encumbrances, he said.
“What they did was not necessary, at all,” Mahemmbe added, referring to the Zimbabwe’s government.
Experts also say that the measure causes tension with the largest commercial partners of Zimbabwe: South Africa, China and the United Arab Emirates, who could question why they should still pay tariffs on their assets that doos do. “This movement could sour Zimbabwe’s relations with the partners,” wrote policy analysts Craig Moffat and Em Hoza in an opinion article for the South African newspaper, El Correo and El Tutor.
“These countries could demand similar rates or seek to renegotiate commercial terms … Zimbabwe’s actions could be perceived as undermining the principles of non -discriminatory fair trade.”
Why is Zimbabwe paying white farmers now?
On April 10, Zimbabuense Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube told journalists that the government had approved a disbursement of $ 3.1 million in compensation to be shared by the displaced white farmers of almost 400 farms seasons for the signing of the presentation of an expropriation program. This is the first of a series of planned compensation payments.
Zimbabwe’s government did not explicitly declare that recent payments were driven by the announcement and fees negotiations of President Trump.
Mugabe’s land program would be supposed to redistribute the land to the disadvantaged black Zimbabuenses with the aim of promoting agricultural equity and development. The land became about 4,000 white farmers, sometimes with force and violently between 2000 and 2001, and at least seven farmers were killed.
Until that time, the white minority, which constituted about 4 percent of the population, had more than half of the land in Zimbabwe, while the locals were crowded in “native reserves.”
However, the policy did not achieve its objective and contributed to the fabric of the Zimbabuense economy. Instead of resetting peasants, the political elite, including Mugabe’s family, acquired large strips of land for rent. Agricultural production decreased significantly, which caused food supply chains to dry. Zimbabwe was also sanctioned by several Western countries, including the United States, for move.
In 2020, after two decades of paralyzing sanctions, the government agreed to pay white farmers $ 3.5 billion per infrastructure, such as wells, irrigation equipment and buildings in seized lands. Only 1 percent would be paid in cash, with the balance to solve the treasure bonds. According to the Minister of Finance, NCUBE, the Government has issued Treasury Bonds for the first lot of farmers.
Payments have caused controversy in the country, and some black Zimbabuenses question why public money is being used to compensate farmers, instead of paying directly to those who benefited from politics.
What is the current political situation in Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe’s policy is currently dominated by a power struggle within the Zanu-PF ruling party.
The president of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who came to power in 2017 on the promises of democratic and economic reforms, faces pressure to renounce his party after his current second term. Zanu-PF has dominated the government since the independence of the country in 1980.
A succession battle has exploded before the general elections scheduled for 2028. FACTIONS HAVE SUPPORT: one that supports a third prolonged and unconstitutional term for Mnangagwa, 82, so that he can continue with his reforms and another that supports the rise of Constantine Chiwenga, his 68 -year -old vice president.
Experts say that the government expects its recent decision to cancel tariffs on US assets can lead to a removal of sanctions by countries such as the United States and other possible international lenders. That could provide a respite for Zimbabwe after years of economic deterioration.
However, economist Mahembe said that the movement of the rate was more likely that a small political elite with the United States and other markets congratulates, to allow those few to benefit from lucrative mineral sales.
In March 2024, the first Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, together with her husband and several other government officials, was sanctioned by the United States for alleged participation in illicit networks of diamonds and gold.
Previously, in 2023, an Al Jazeera investigation revealed that Zimbabuense officials were using smuggling gangs to sell the country’s gold to soften the impact of sanctions.
“It’s not just about the country, it’s really about them,” Mahembe said, referring to the country’s political elite.
Are Zimbabwe’s movements appease Trump?
He is an uncle if President Mnangagwa can achieve his goal of building a better “positive” relationship with Washington.
Regarding the compensation of white farmers, it is not clear if the recent movement to make the first compensation payments is designed to please Trump.
In addition, some projects on payments have emerged. A group of affected farmers accused the Government on Wednesday of establishing too much the amounts paid and said that the amount that is now too low.
In a statement, Deon Theron, interim president of the Compensation Manager Committee established in farmers of the representatives, also said that officials in Harare had not properly consulted to most agricultural farmers in the compensation process.
“Actually, only a small payment of the file has made the leg and thousands of farmers, the significant majority by number, remain without compensation,” said.
The $ 3.5 billion agreed was “a substantial discount on the real value of the properties, and these payments have reached less than 10 percent of the farmers,” he added.