Germany has warned that land grabs of foreign-owned investments in Zimbabwe could harm tourism and jeopardise the country’s co-hosting of the forthcoming UNWTO General Assembly in August, reports Fin24.
“By seizing control of leading ranches, Zimbabwe has violated bilateral agreements protecting foreign investments in the country,” Germany’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Hans-Gunter Gnodtke, told the publication.
Zimbabwean authorities have reportedly denied foreign operators hunting permits at the Save Valley Conservancy in south-eastern Zimbabwe, but granted land and 25-year permits to senior members of President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party under the government's black empowerment scheme.
"If elements wishing to destroy wildlife and tourism infrastructure in Zimbabwe protected by the bilateral investment promotion and protection agreement should succeed, this will have a serious effect on Zimbabwe's qualification to host an international meeting on tourism,” said Gnodtke.
According to the report, Gnodtke blamed what he termed "forced partnerships" between the government and foreign operators for a breakdown in tourism in the conservancy.
"So far, tourism is breaking down because marketing of tourism visits cannot go on in view of the outstanding hunting licences. We hope and pray that common sense and responsibility prevail and that the Victoria Falls meeting will be a success."
Ranchers under the aegis of the Save Valley Conservancy include foreign investors from South Africa, Germany, Italy and the United States who are protected by investment agreements between Harare and their respective countries.
Gnodtke said two German investors had filed for compensation at the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes.
He said co-operation between Zimbabwe and Germany, which was frozen in 2002, when the EU imposed sanctions on Mugabe and his allies, would only be restored once the rule of law and democracy had been re-established in the country.
