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President Emmerson Mnangagwa has defended Zimbabwe’s pragmatic foreign policy, saying the country will engage with global partners based solely on what best serves its national interests, rather than aligning with Western powers or the East.
By Ryan Chigoche
The remarks come as Zimbabwe deepens economic ties with a range of partners, including China, Russia, and Middle Eastern investors, while simultaneously calling for the normalisation of relations with Western countries amid ongoing sanctions-related constraints.
Like other African mining hubs, Zimbabwe has seen a surge of Chinese investment driven by the lithium boom and the green energy transition.
According to the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA), in 2024, Chinese firms secured 441 licences with projected inflows of over US$2.7 billion—more than 60 per cent of all foreign approvals—while U.S. investors accounted for just US$182 million, highlighting how China’s footprint now dwarfs that of the U.S., especially in mining.
This stark contrast in foreign investment flows set the context for questions at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, where Mnangagwa was asked whether Zimbabwe and other African countries were receiving better deals from Chinese investment compared to their historical engagement with Western nations.
In response, he rejected the framing of global engagement as a choice between competing power blocs, instead emphasising sovereignty and results-driven partnerships.
“You have to understand that Zimbabwe is a sovereign state,” Mnangagwa said. “We move on the basis that gives us the best results from our resources. Whether it is in relation with the West or the East, what is primarily important is what we ourselves, as an organisation, are satisfied with.”
He added that Zimbabwe’s policy is guided by self-interest rather than external approval. “We don’t need to please the West or please the East. We please ourselves,” he said.
The growing presence of Chinese firms in Zimbabwe reflects a broader African trend, particularly in critical minerals such as lithium, graphite, cobalt, and rare earth elements.
Over the past two decades, China has moved deliberately to secure supply chains that support battery manufacturing, electric vehicles, and renewable energy technologies, establishing a strong footprint in mining, infrastructure, and energy.
By comparison, the United States and its allies are only recently ramping up engagement through new financing tools and partnerships, while Western governments have generally taken a more cautious approach, citing governance and human rights concerns.
Mnangagwa’s comments reflect Harare’s broader foreign policy doctrine of “friend to all, enemy to none,” which prioritises economic development, resource beneficiation, and investment inflows over geopolitical alignment.
As competition for Africa’s resources intensifies, Zimbabwe is positioning itself as an assertive actor, negotiating on its own terms and leveraging its mineral wealth and strategic location to secure partnerships that deliver tangible national benefits.
