By
Costa
Nkomo
This
payment
is
part
of
a
multi-year
compensation
plan,
focusing
on
claims
protected
under
the
Bilateral
Investment
Promotion
and
Protection
Agreement
(BIPPA).
Speaking
to
journalists
after
a
dialogue
meeting
with
development
partners
in
Harare,
Prof
Ncube
confirmed
that
the
US$20
million
will
be
paid
out
before
year-end,
with
subsequent
payments
to
follow
annually.
“Specifically
on
the
matter
of
compensation
for
former
farmers,”
he
said,
“as
you
know,
we
set
aside
in
the
budget
US$20
million
equivalent
for
that
compensation,
which
is
set
to
begin
in
earnest
in
this
last
quarter.”
Despite
this
initial
payment,
a
substantial
debt
remains.
Zimbabwe
still
owes
US$176
million
to
former
farm
owners
under
BIPPA,
covering
94
claims.
The
largest
claims
come
from
the
Netherlands,
followed
by
Switzerland
and
Germany.
“We
have
been
going
through
a
verification
process,
and
that
process
has
produced
credible
results,”
Ncube
explained.
“We
know
who
they
are.
This
is
a
multi-year
program,
not
a
one-off.
Next
year,
we
will
continue
with
the
compensation
process
until
all
liabilities
are
settled.”
In
addition
to
BIPPA
claims,
the
government
has
received
441
claims
totalling
US$351.6
million
under
the
Global
Compensation
Deed.
Professor
Ncube
noted
that
US$3.5
million
of
this
will
be
paid
by
the
end
of
the
year,
representing
just
one
percent
of
the
total
claims
under
the
deed.
The
European
Union
Ambassador
to
Zimbabwe,
Jobst
von
Kirchmann,
highlighted
the
need
for
a
robust
legal
framework.
“For
now,
it
is
a
policy
and
not
yet
a
law,”
he
said.
“I
think
it
requires
further
discussion.
It’s
important
to
have
a
law
that
meets
the
needs
of
both
the
government
and
farmers,
providing
a
clear
and
effective
solution.”
Ayodele
Odusola,
a
United
Nations
representative,
praised
the
government’s
commitment
to
compensation,
noting
that
it
would
support
Zimbabwe’s
reintegration
into
the
global
economy
and
attract
foreign
investment.