Francis Nhema, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Environment and Tourism, was elected as the Chair of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development on May 11th. As the controversial election took place, Mr. Nhema’s home country continued to make headlines around the world due to its suffering from one of the worst cases of hyperinflation in the history. April’s official inflation rate at 2,200 % has recently been adjusted to 3,731.9% [1], while unofficial estimates are running closer to 6000%. In any case, these numbers are already well over - or approaching rapidly - the year-end estimates of both the International Monetary Fund (3000 %) and World Bank (4000 %). [2] This indicates not only that these international organizations were not able to track the quickly deteriorating economic situation in Zimbabwe but also a deeply failed monetary system. The International Monetary Fund has already released new estimates for next year: The inflation could reach 6 470% by December 2008.[3] 

While the inflation rates keep soaring, Zimbabwean citizens find themselves in deeper trouble than ever before. With eighty percent unemployment, there is not much individuals can do to better their situation. Those who can leave the country have already done so; it has been reported that some 3.5 million Zimbabweans have crossed the boarder to South Africa illegally.[4] The trouble may only get worse as BBC reports that only 10 % of Zimbabwe’s annual maize crops have been planted this year. In addition, the government of Zimbabwe has declared the year 2007 “Drought Year”. Millions of Zimbabweans are already facing fuel and food shortages on a daily basis. 

The IIJD interviewed two individuals from the city of Bulawayo in Southern Zimbabwe. John (not his real name), a 35-year-old father of two, reveals that his family has been without water for the last four days. They have been able to get water from friends who live in another part of the town where water has not been cut off. “Our area has been hardest hit by the power cuts and water cuts. It seems that the government owes a lot of money to our power suppliers particularly in South Africa”, John says. According to him, it is the constant lack of foreign currency that keeps the government from buying spare parts for machinery and therefore from fixing problems in the water and electricity networks. “The politically motivated sabotages and the general lack of rain this year are also greatly affecting our water resources”, John adds. BBC reported earlier this week that it was because of the country’s wheat farmers who need power to irrigate their crops that Zimbabwean households were limited to four hours of electricity per day.[5]

Evan (not her real name), a 40-year-old child-care worker and mother of two, has also been affected by the frequent power cuts. “Some parts of Bulawayo are now entering their fourth day without water and we are all having daily power cuts. Yesterday our power was off for eight hours”, Evan reports. She names the hyperinflation as one of the causes for their daily struggle. “The rate of the US currency has gone crazy again. On Friday the rate was $27,500 (Zimbabwean currency) to US $1, today (Tuesday) it is $33,000 to US $1. Inflation is actually estimated at being close to 6,000 %, while the state is trying their hardest to convince everyone that it is at about 2,200 %”, Evan says. She also reveals that farm invasions – the question of land ownership has ruled the political scene in Zimbabwe since its independence in 1980 – are “as active as ever”. “Last week a friend of ours had to lock himself and his wife in their farm house because the infamous ‘war vets’ danced and chanted outside their fence”, Evan says but quickly adds: “So as you see, life goes on for us.”  

As to the May 11th election of Francis Nhema, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Environment and Tourism, as the Chair of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) [6], both the European Union and the United States have reacted strongly. Both opposed the election of Mr. Nhema, but had to give in because African nations, along with other developing nations, supported the nomination. The position of the Chair of CSD is one of rotation and it was Africa’s turn to nominate a candidate. The Western nations opposed the election because of the current economic and development crisis in Zimbabwe. Daniel Reifsnyder, the US deputy assistant secretary for environment, summed up the international criticism by stating that the election “calls into question the credibility of this organization (UN) to have a representative from a country that has decimated its agriculture; that used to be the breadbasket of Africa and can’t now feed itself.”[7]

The IIJD finds the election somewhat ironic as Zimbabwe is currently facing some of the worst development problems of its history. The policies of the current administration have not proven to forward sustainable development but rather the opposite. The Chair of the CSD should represent and model strong governance of natural resources while achieving development that is not only sustainable but thrives to meet the basic needs of all people. This has not been the case in Zimbabwe as the stories of John and Evan tell.

If nothing else, the election raises practical problems by challenging the current travel sanctions on Zimbabwean government officials, currently restricted from entering either the American or European soil. The IIJD feels that this alone poses a threat to the work of the CSD. Fair representation for all of Africa also raises questions: Africa deserves a better, sanction-free representation within the United Nations. At this time the political climate does not allow such freedom to Mr. Francis Nhema.