THREE or so weeks ago the United States of America President, Barack Obama organised what he termed, the ‘United States-Africa Summit’.
To that summit, President Obama invited 50 Heads of State from Africa including the chairperson of the African Union (AU) itself.
The convening of the above invent by President Obama where our own President Mugabe was not invited, triggered a lot of noises coming from the foreign owned media here in Zimbabwe who shouted from all over the show saying we as a country had lost a wonderful opportunity to get money from the rich and generous Americans!
This is what The Standard wrote in their August 10 2014 edition, “United States Africa Summit reinforces Zimbabwe’s isolation.
“The economic picture remains gloomy for Zimbabwe due to the strained relations with the West and the leadership’s choice to look East.”
Zimbabweans were then lectured in the story what they have lost by looking East.
“United States President Barrack Obama pledged 33 billion in investment money to about 50 heads of State and government (from mother Africa) who converged in Washington D.C.
“Zimbabwe, which was excluded from the summit due to President Robert Mugabe’s bad relations with the West missed a chance to benefit from Obama’s charm offence to do business with Africa.”
In the Independent, the Standard’s sister paper, the United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Bruce Wharton is reported to have said in relation to that United States Africa Summit, that President Mugabe was not invited to attended because of sanctions against our country.
Mr Bruce Wharton is then quoted saying, “In the wake of 2013 elections we (Americans) are concerned that the democratic process is still subject to political pressure.”
Ambassador Wharton was also reported as saying that Zimbabwe has a “huge democratic deficit”.
Really!
In this article we want to show that Zimbabwe did not lose anything at all by not attending the so-called US-Africa Summit.
After all, that so-called summit was a mere high profile talk show full of paternalism where the Americans wanted to tell the Africans that they were today’s world emperors who expected obedience from them.
In case people accuse us of mere posturing by our pooh – poohing the US–Africa Summit, let us break down the monetary figures associated with that summit. “United States President Obama pledged US$33 billion to the 50 countries who attended.”
Really Mr President!
Those of us who went to primary school before the calculator was in vogue will tell you that if you were asked by your good teacher to divide 50 into 33 the correct answer was, “it can’t”.
Now let us come to that US–Africa summit.
To distribute a mere US$33 billion among 50 African countries, “it can’t”!
This is because each of these African countries only gets 0,66 of a billion.
This is the kind of peanuts always given to African governments which “cant” have any huge impact on their economies at all.
Let us take our Zimbabwe as a good example.
To revamp the Zimbabwe transport sector – yes the infrastructure in the country we need at least US$8 billion.
Now was it worth our while to go to Washington to get 0,66 of a billion when we need at least US$8 billion to revamp our infrastructure?
We can’t revamp it with only 0,66 of a billion.
Furthermore, you can’t do things in bits and pieces especially when it comes to infrastructure.
And don’t forget, infrastructure is the base we need to build our economy on.
We also read something concerning energy.
That there was US$5 billion made available to countries like Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and Tanzania.
Now when it comes to Zimbabwe, it is estimated that we need at least US$13,6 billion to revamp the energy sector.
About 0,66 of a billion would get us nowhere near tackling the big energy sector demands in the country.
The issue again cannot be approached on a piece meal fashion.
Big money is needed.
As a matter of fact, reading the Zim-ASSET document, Zimbabwe alone would need at least US$30 billion to normalise this country’s economy.
This means that the money President Obama put on the table for 50 African countries can only make a meaningful impact to one single country.
It is therefore correct to say Zimbabwe lost nothing by not attending the so-called US–Africa Summit where they were going to be assured only 0,66 of a billion if not even less.
Now let us turn to the question of why Zimbabwe should look East.
The matter is simple and straightforward.
It is from the East that Zimbabwe is assured of meaningful investment into the country.
This August, his Excellency President Mugabe is going to China where Zimbabwe is promised to get US$4 billion investment.
Now the numbers begin to make sense.
If Zimbabwe attracts US$4 billion by way of investment, the economy will start ticking.
It is therefore important that we encourage our Government to continue looking East because that is where meaningful investments will come from.
Sorry, not the West.
As we have shown above all this cry for investment from the West is driven by the dangerous colonial mentality disease.
We should never expect any meaningful investment to come from there.
The reality is that the West is completely dry.
Then there is this talk about Zimbabwe having a ‘Democratic deficit’. Furthermore that President Mugabe’s Government has human rights issues hence why he was not invited to the US–Africa Summit.
Has the English language lost its meaning or what?
How can anyone compare the United States human rights record with that of Zimbabwe?
While the United States President, Barack Obama was busy entertaining the African heads in Washington, United States weapons in the hands of their surrogates the Israelis were busy slaughtering innocent women and children in Gaza in a diabolic way.
And those Gaza people for all intents and purposes are Africans.
MaZimbabweans, don’t stress yourselves over nothing.
The country lost absolutely nothing by not attending the US-Africa Summit.