Climate Crisis or Gravy Train?

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Written by: By Leopold Munhende, Commentary by John Burke ZHRO

Published: 28 October 2021

Last Updated: 28 October 2021

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The article reprinted below is currenly in 2 African News Outlets at present [so far]: All Africa.Com and NewZimbabwe.Com now Nhanda Radio - this certainly smacks of hypocrisy and profligate excess from the corruption ridden nation of Zimbabwe

""PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is taking a bloated entourage of over 100 people to the 26th edition of the United Nations Climate Change conference in Glasgow, Scotland, including family members, friends and Zanu-PF youths who will enjoy a two-week long stay in the UK on taxpayer’s funds.""

This was revealed by Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) director Farai Maguwu.

The trip will be Mnangagwa’s first to the UK and the only one by a Zimbabwean state leader in 25 years as a result of a diplomatic tiff that arose during the chaotic land reform programme early 2000s.

“Our ‘sanctions-afflicted’ Zimbabwe is sending a delegation of more than 100 people to COP26 in Glasgow, some are already there whilst others are packing their bags. Of the 100 plus delegates, more than 60 have nothing to do with Climate Change,” Maguwu revealed in a series of Twitter posts.

“Among the non-technical members who constitute majority of the delegates are relatives and friends of powerful officials responsible for selecting those attending the jamboree. Some technical staff could not travel to Scotland because spaces had been taken by non-technical climate tourists,” he said.

“Zimbabwe’s delegation is said to be more than double that of South Africa whose population is more than four times bigger than ours whilst their economy is thousand times better and healthier than ours. Our non-technical delegates on the other hand have found yet another reason to spend what we do not have. Cyclone Idai victims still crying for help to build back better their lives ruined by the climate induced disaster,” he added.

“Amazing what we can do in spite of sanctions and what we claim we cannot do when it comes to developing our country and investing in our people.”

Presidential Spokesperson George Charamba’s mobile number was not being picked while Information ministry permanent secretary Nick Mangwana did not respond to questions sent via WhatsApp.

Without revealing who will make it, Lands and Agriculture Ministry permanent secretary John Bhasera told Journalists Tuesday, Zimbabwe will be sending a “strong delegation” to the summit.

Mnangagwa is elated to be headed for UK himself, having earlier declared: “I am eagerly looking forward to my first visit to the United Kingdom. COP26 meeting of nations comes at an extraordinary time in world history,” Mnangagwa said Tuesday.""

Police Brutality is common; to subjugate the majority of the population. A true "Police State" [See image above]. This is precisely the reason that ZHRO, ROHR Zimbabwe, MDCA and ZAPU delivered a petition to the gates of 10 Downing Street on the 21st October 2021. We will be presenting a second petition at 14:00 on the 11th November, again to 10 Downing Street. 

 

Nhanda Radio [see Web link in the opening sentence above] adds a little more to this story of "excess":

 “Countries like the US and China also send big delegations to COP conferences but these are composed largely of technical staff. Each person in their delegations has a specific task to carry out.

“Our non-technical delegates on the other hand have found yet another reason to spend what we don’t have. Cyclone Idai victims are still crying for help to build back better their lives ruined by the climate induced disaster.”

In an interview with Nehanda Radio, opposition MDC Alliance secretary for International Relations Gladys Hlatshwayo said President Emmerson Mnangagwa was using the COP26 as a launchpad to siphon the country’s resources out of the country.

“Mr Mnangagwa and Zanu PF continue to plunder the resources of our country at the expense of suffering citizens. When it comes to citizens’ demands for socio- economic rights including access to health. education etc, they are quick to talk about sanctions.

“It is becoming clear that we have a dearth of leadership in this country. We need new stewards of the country’s resources and not these roving bandits who see every international trip as an opportunity to squander the national purse. It is really sad!” she said.

Mnangagwa ‘Totally Ignorant’

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Written by: John Burke

Published: 15 October 2021

Last Updated: 15 October 2021

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Steve Hanke is a professor of applied economics at The Johns Hopkins University and senior fellow at the Cato Institute. He is a columnist at Forbes and a regular contributor to The Wall Street Journal. Over four decades Hanke has advised dozens of world leaders from Ronald Reagan to Indonesia’s Suharto on currency reforms, infrastructure development, privatization, and how to tame hyperinflation. You can follow him on twitter @steve_hanke.

 United States (US) economist, Steve Hanke, says President Emmerson Mnangagwa is not only corrupt but "totally ignorant" when it comes to economic issues.

 In a tweet, Hanke said the Zimbabwe dollar has depreciated by 93% against the United States dollar since the local currency was reintroduced in 2019. He said:

 Corrupt @edmnangagwa brought back the Zimbabwean dollar 2yrs ago. Since then, the Zim dollar has depreciated by 93% against the mighty USD. President Ed is not only corrupt but, when it comes to economics, he is totally ignorant. https://twitter.com/steve_hanke/

This comes as the forex rate has plummeted on the black market, with the currency changing hands for up to Z$200 per US dollar, while the official rate is pegged at Z$90.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) – the largest representative body for local business, has warned that the country’s currency is in danger of collapsing as businesses resort to United States dollar transactions.

In a tweet on Tuesday, Hanke said threats by the Zimbabwean government to suspend businesses using black market rates will end in tears. He wrote:

"Zimbabwe's currency is in a "death spiral". Now, the corrupt government is threatening to suspend all businesses using black-market exchange rates to price goods. I’ve seen this movie before. It has a tragic ending."

Zimbabwean authorities have in recent weeks arrested scores of foreign traders accused of manipulating the volatile Zimbabwean dollar by trading on the black market.

But in a letter to its members, CZI said it had cautioned the government against clamping down on firms and traders. It said: The greatest risk facing the economy right now is an inappropriate policy response to the rising parallel market premium. Clamping down on informal exchange trading in the absence of a viable formal market will have catastrophic consequences for the economy.

"Every day I publish Hanke's #InflationSatellite. It's an interactive map that contains my accurate, up-to-date #Inflation measurements & black market (read: free market) data for 40+ countries. It is updated daily & currently contains data as of 10/13/21 Zimbabwe heading for the top od this unenviable chart with 98% Inflation - so far. Steve Hanke on Zimbabwe's Inflation Horror

In the midst of this attack on Mnangagwa's poor leadership, vision and past record of failure, the OCCRP have exposed yet more corruption in Zimbabwe - with apparent Government involvement.

More Corruption in Zimbabwe - Direct link to OCCRP Research

Steve Hanke on Twitter Yet More Zimbabwe Corruption

Kudakwashe Tagwirei, who is close to Zimbabwe’s president and his inner circle, leveraged his privileged access to fuel and mining markets to strike a lucrative partnership with commodities giant Trafigura. Sanctioned by the U.S. and U.K. for corruption, Tagwirei continued to do business by relocating his network to Mauritius.

Key Findings

•     Tagwirei has earned at least $100 million in fees from a partnership with Swiss-based Trafigura. Together, they have profited extensively by dominating Zimbabwe’s fuel market since 2013.
•     Trafigura quietly extended $1 billion in loans to the Zimbabwean government, at exorbitant interest rates.
•     As controversy grew, Tagwirei moved his business network offshore to Mauritius, where he secured a new near-monopoly fuel deal with the government. He is still active in mining and fuel deals in Zimbabwe.
•     Government officials appear on key company records and Tagwirei’s own correspondence, indicating that there might be more powerful people behind the network

The payments made to Tagwirei raise a red flag, according to Global Witness’s Natasha White.

 “Red flags include the personal involvement of politically exposed individuals in such deals. It would be extremely concerning if payments have been made into a personal account of Tagwirei by Trafigura, whether or not he was sanctioned at the time,” she said.

https://www.zhro.org.uk/human-rights-uk/77-petition-to-stop-mnangagwa-going-to-cop26

This article explains the insensitive invitation and links to both an online petition to oppose Ed's visit and the physical petition hand over to Boris Johnson on the 21st October 2021, the UK Prime Minister to block Mnangagwa and his 70 strong "team" of hangers-on and "security staff" LOL

Zanu PF See Money in the Climate Targets

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Written by: John Burke

Published: 26 September 2021

Last Updated: 14 October 2021

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If ever there were proof positive that the whole climate agenda is one massive Governmental {World Governmental} inspired 'tax-based' confidence trick, then the spectacle of Zimbabwe joining the fray says it all. Zimbabwe President is visiting COP26 Glasgow 31st October -12th November 2021.

Zimbabwe since "Independence" in 1980, has been ruled with a fist of iron, in an iron glove by Robert Mugabe up till 2017, and now by his violent henchman Emmerson Dambudzo Mnanagawa. No infrastructure has seen any useful form of maintenance since 1980 - looting these funds has far more "appeal" to those in power.

Human Rights? - forget it. Soldiers shooting citizens - check; Abduction of opposition members - check; Torture as a means of control - check [and just for good measure Zimbabwe is one of only a handful of Nations who have NOT signed-up for the "Convention Against Torture"]; State sanctioned corruption - check; Looting of funds for Hospitals and Medical Centres - check; State Controlled Media [TV, Newspapers, Radio] - check; They even have a "spokesperson" to gloss over all the failures, lies and corruption - Nick Mangwana [Mangwana means "tomorrow" in the Shona language]. Oh yes, and Vote Rigging, Voter Intimidation etc, you name it - check:

Make no mistake on all measures Zimbabwe is a FAILED STATE. Zimbabwe Human Development Index: Rank 156: Zimbabwe Corruption Rank: Rank 154! Take your pick these numbers are not good WORLD RANKING ZIMBABWE

For Zimbabwe to be lauded by the UK Embassy in Harare [See Tweet, right dated 15th September 2021], and a similar report by Reuters [25th September 2021, below] to be at the fore front of the climate initiatives, really sticks in the throat. The quote [from a Zanu PF source] is breathtakingly ironic: "fully conditional on affordable international financial support, investment, technology development and transfer and capacity development"

This reeks of "show me the MONEY! Show me the MONEY! On past performance none of these empty, gesture political statements will benefit Zimbabwe - but these naively dispatched funds will enrich those within the elite of the Zanu PF Junta!

Unbelievable - who is "promoting" this Junta? BUT IF YOU OPPOSE THIS OUTRAGE [OF INVITING MNANGAGWA AND up to 70 ZANU PF] to COP26 -SIGN OUR PETITION AT THIS LINK

see our Twitter Petition request too

Sept 25 2021(Reuters) - Zimbabwe has adopted a more ambitious target for emissions reduction ahead of a United Nations climate conference in November, the country's new climate change plan showed. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/zimbabwe-bolsters-emissions-targets-ahead-climate-summit-2021-09-25/ The southern African country is now committed to a 40% drop in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 across all sectors of the economy, compared to a "business as usual" scenario in which emission reduction policies are not implemented. Zimbabwe had previously committed to a 33% emissions reduction in its first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in 2017. NDCs are non-binding plans for climate action submitted by countries since the Paris Agreement of 2016. The new target is for Zimbabwe's total greenhouse gas emissions to be curbed to 44.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2e) by 2030. If no action is taken emissions are projected to hit 75.4 Mt CO2e by then. Emissions in 2017 were 35.84 Mt CO2e, according to the NDC's most recent national-level estimate. The biggest source of Zimbabwe's greenhouse gas emissions is the agriculture and forestry sector, with the energy sector ranking second. Thermal power generation is the main driver of energy sector emissions. Zimbabwe's mitigation measures include creating 500,000 more hectares of forest land by 2025, adding 2,098 megawatts of capacity through microgrids by 2028, and expanding solar power capacity. Zimbabwe has separately committed to increasing electricity and coal supply to the iron and steel sectors, though, which will add to emissions. The NDC did not mention plans to curb coal mining or coal-fired power.

 In a plea to the international community, Zimbabwe said compliance with its new targets is "fully conditional on affordable international financial support, investment, technology development and transfer and capacity development". The 26th United Nations Climate Change (COP26) conference is scheduled to take place in Glasgow, Scotland, from October 31 to November 12.

Reporting by Helen Reid Source as Web Link above