Zimbabwe
Cluster Munition Ban Policy
Summary
Non-signatory Zimbabwe has shown interest in the Convention on Cluster Munitions but has not taken any steps to join it. Zimbabwe participated in a regional workshop on the convention in March 2022. Zimbabwe abstained from voting on a key United Nations (UN) resolution promoting the convention in December 2021.
Zimbabwe exported and imported cluster munitions in the past, but it is not clear if it ever used them. Prior to 1980, the defense industries of the country—then known as Rhodesia—developed and produced cluster bombs. Zimbabwe is believed to possess cluster munitions, but there is no information regarding the types and quantities stockpiled.
Policy
The Republic of Zimbabwe has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
Zimbabwe has shown interest in the convention and told States Parties in September 2019 that “internal processes are underway” for its “possible” accession to the convention. At the time, Zimbabwe stated that it had not joined largely due to reduced “logistical and technical capacity mainly due to political, economic and social challenges.”[1]
Zimbabwe participated in two regional meetings during the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions, where it expressed support for a comprehensive ban without exceptions.[2] However, Zimbabwe was absent from the Dublin negotiations in May 2008 and the Oslo Signing Conference in December 2008.
Zimbabwe has participated as an observer in several meetings of the convention, most recently the Ninth Meeting of States Parties in Geneva in September 2019.[3] It was invited to, but did not attend, the convention’s Second Review Conference held in November 2020 and September 2021. In March 2022, Zimbabwe participated in a regional universalization workshop in Abuja, Nigeria.[4]
Zimbabwe abstained from voting on a key United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution in December 2021, which urged states outside the Convention on Cluster Munitions to join “as soon as possible.”[5] Zimbabwe has abstained from voting on the annual UNGA resolution since 2019, after voting against it during 2015–2018.
Zimbabwe is a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW).
Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling
It is unclear whether Zimbabwe has ever used cluster munitions.[6]
Zimbabwe is not known to have produced or exported cluster munitions since it gained independence from the United Kingdom (UK) in 1980, but likely possesses a stockpile, containing munitions dating from before independence and since then.[7]
According to Jane’s Information Group, Rhodesia produced the Alpha bomblet developed for the South African CB-470 cluster bomb.[8] State Parties to the convention Chile and Peru have reported stockpiling Alpha bomblets.
Brazil transferred 104 BLG-250K and four BLG-60K cluster bombs and various components for BLG-500K, BLG-250K, and BLG-60K cluster bombs to Zimbabwe between January 2001 and May 2002, according to declassified Brazilian Ministry of Defense documents.[9]
Zimbabwe may have transferred Chilean-manufactured cluster munitions to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as recently as July 2013, according to a copy of an official shipping document.[10] The DRC signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions in March 2009 but has not ratified it. As a signatory, the DRC has committed not to take any action that runs contrary to the object and purpose of the convention, such as importing or otherwise receiving cluster munitions.
Zimbabwe also possesses RM-70 and BM-21 122mm surface-to-surface rocket systems, but it is not known if these include versions with submunition payloads.[11]
[1] Statement of Zimbabwe, Convention on Cluster Munitions Ninth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 2 September 2019. Previously, in May 2013, a government representative told a regional meeting that Zimbabwe was “seriously considering” acceding to the convention. Statement of Zimbabwe, Lomé Regional Seminar on the Universalization of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Lomé, 22 May 2013. Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) meeting with Mucheka Chameso, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Zimbabwe to the UN in Geneva, in Lomé, 22 May 2013. In May 2012, a government representative said Zimbabwe was conducting “consultations with relevant stakeholders on the country’s accession to the Convention on Cluster Munitions” that it hoped to soon conclude. Statement of Zimbabwe, Accra Regional Conference on the Universalization of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Accra, May 2012. In March 2010, Zimbabwe stated that “discussions are underway on the matter” of joining the convention. Statement of Zimbabwe, Africa Regional Conference on the Universalization and Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Pretoria, 25 March 2010. Notes by Action on Armed Violence (AOAV).
[2] For details on Zimbabwe’s policy and practice regarding cluster munitions through early 2009, see Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Landmine Action, Banning Cluster Munitions: Government Policy and Practice (Ottawa: Mines Action Canada, May 2009), pp. 262–263.
[3] Zimbabwe participated as an observer at the convention’s Meetings of States Parties in 2010–2013 and 2019, as well as intersessional meetings in 2012–2015. It did not attend the First Review Conference in 2015. Zimbabwe has participated in regional workshops on the convention, most recently one in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in August 2016. “The Addis Ababa Commitment on Universalization and Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” Africa Regional Workshop on the Universalization of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, 5 August 2016.
[4] Convention on Cluster Munitions Implementation Support Unit (ISU), Report on the African Regional Convention on Cluster Munitions Universalization Workshop in Abuja, Nigeria, 23–24 March 2022.
[5] “Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 76/47, 6 December 2021.
[6] Zimbabwe has not made a statement regarding possible past use of cluster munitions. One source has said that Zimbabwean and/or Congolese aircraft dropped cluster bombs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 1998. Tom Cooper and Pit Weinert, “Zaire/DR Congo since 1980,” Air Combat Information Group, 2 September 2003.
[7] In 2010, an official told the CMC that Zimbabwe still possessed cluster munitions that were in the former-Rhodesia’s arsenal. CMC meeting with Mucheka Chameso, Permanent Mission of Zimbabwe to the UN in Geneva, Africa Regional Conference on the Universalization and Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, in Pretoria, 25–26 March 2010. Notes by the CMC.
[8] Robert Hewson, ed., Jane’s Air-Launched Weapons, Issue 44 (Surrey: Jane’s Information Group, 2004), p. 440.
[9] Rubens Valente, “Brasil vendeu bombas condenadas a ditador do Zimbábue” (“Brazil sold condemned bombs to Zimbabwe dictator”), Folha de São Paolo, 22 July 2012.
[10] In May 2018, HRW obtained several documents including a “packing list” dated 3 July 2013 and issued on the letterhead of Zimbabwe Defence Industries Ltd., which was addressed to the National Army of the DRC. The list of various weapons includes three crates or pallets of cluster bombs, one weighing 350kg and two weighing 150kg each. According to the document, a manual for CB-250K cluster bombs was also provided. It is unclear if complete cluster bombs were provided or components. Chile produced and transferred CB-250K cluster bombs prior to signing the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
[11] International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), The Military Balance 2011 (London: Routledge, 2011), p. 449.
Impact
Country Summary
The Republic of Zimbabwe is contaminated by antipersonnel landmines laid in the 1970s during its war for independence.
In the past, Zimbabwe’s demining program was constrained by economic sanctions, a shortage of equipment, and a lack of international assistance. Zimbabwe submitted a total of five requests to extend its Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 clearance deadline.
As of end 2021, remaining contamination totaled 23.51km². All six remaining minefields are classified as confirmed hazardous area (CHA), with five located along the eastern border with Mozambique and one inland in Matebeleland North province.
Zimbabwe’s Article 5 clearance deadline is 31 December 2025. Financial sustainability remains a key challenge for Zimbabwe in meeting this deadline.
Survey, clearance, and risk education activities are coordinated by the Zimbabwe Mine Action Centre (ZIMAC). Risk education is conducted by ZIMAC and international operators alongside demining. High-risk groups include communities living close to minefields and those involved in trade along the border with Mozambique. Implementation of risk education in 2021 continued to be affected by COVID-19 restrictions.
Accessing medical and rehabilitation services in Zimbabwe is challenging for landmine victims if their injuries are beyond the capacity of local health services. There are only three public national rehabilitation centers, none of which are located in the mine-affected areas.The HALO Trust has worked with Cassims Prosthetics to support travel and fitting missions in Zimbabwe, but in 2021 no assistance was provided.
Impact
Contamination
Contamination (as of December 2021)[1]
Antipersonnel landmine |
Cluster munition remnant |
Other ERW |
|
Extent of contamination |
Large
|
None |
Unknown |
Reported contamination |
23.51km² (CHA) |
- |
- |
Note: CHA=confirmed hazardous area; ERW=explosive remnants of war.
Landmine contamination
As of 31 December 2021, the remaining landmine contamination in Zimbabwe totaled 23.51km2, all of which was classified as CHA. These contaminated areas are located along the border with Mozambique in four provinces, with one inland minefield in Matebeleland North province.[2] The amount of remaining contaminated land represents approximately 38% of known contamination (61.79km²) that was identified in January 2018, at the start of Zimbabwe’s latest extension period for clearance under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty .[3]
ERW contamination
Zimbabwe also has ERW contamination, which is dealt with by the Military Engineers.[4] The full extent of this contamination is unknown.
As of 2021, Zimbabwe had recorded 272 mine/ERW casualties for all time in its database, though acknowledged that the list was not exhaustive. This data does not include victims of ERW incidents in regions not contaminated by landmines.[5] In 2007, Zimbabwe reported that the total number of mine/ERW survivors in the country was estimated at around 1,300.[6] Zimbabwe has acknowledged the need for a more comprehensive mine/ERW victim surveillance system.[7]
Casualties
Between 1964 and 2021, the Monitor recorded a total of 1,638 mine/ERW casualties.
Casualties in 2021[8]
Overview |
|
Total |
3 |
Change from 2020 |
Decrease from 16 |
Survival outcome |
|
Injured |
3 |
Killed |
0 |
Casualties by device |
|
Antipersonnel mines |
3 |
Casualties by civilian status |
|
Civilian |
0 |
Deminer |
3 |
Casualties by age and gender |
|
Men (adult) |
3 |
Casualties in 2021
During 2021, three casualties were recorded in Zimbabwe; a decrease from 16 in 2020.[9] All three casualties were due to demining accidents caused by antipersonnel mines.[10] In Bulawayo province, a grenade exploded whilst workers were burning grass and rubbish at Ntshamathe Primary School, but did not cause casualties.[11] No mine/ERW casualties were reported in Zimbabwe in 2019, while three were reported in 2018.
Cluster munition casualties
There have been at least three recorded cluster munition casualties in Zimbabwe, dating to the period of the 1970s War of Liberation. In an incident documented by a former Rhodesian soldier, two children were killed and one was injured after they found and handled an unexploded Alpha bomblet.[12] It is likely that further cluster munition casualties in Zimbabwe went unrecorded.
Management and Coordination
Mine action management and coordination
Mine action management and coordination overview[13]
National mine action management actors |
National Mine Action Authority of Zimbabwe (NMAAZ) Zimbabwe Mine Action Centre (ZIMAC) |
United Nations agencies |
None |
Other actors |
Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) |
Mine action strategic and operational plans |
National Mine Action Strategic Plan 2018–2025
|
Mine action standards |
Zimbabwe National Mine Action Standards (ZNMAS) |
Coordination
ZIMAC manages and coordinates the mine action program in Zimbabwe. In August 2019, ZIMAC was relocated from a military cantonment area, enabling access for all mine action stakeholders.[14]
The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) has provided training and capacity-building support to ZIMAC.[15]
Technical coordination meetings, intended to be held quarterly, discuss topics related to clearance, risk education, and victim assistance. Yet only one meeting was held during 2021. A stakeholder coordination meeting is also intended to be held quarterly, but only two meetings were held during 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16]
Strategies and policies
Zimbabwe’s National Mine Action Strategic Plan outlines the activities, outputs, and resources required to complete clearance by 2025.[17] In March 2019, Zimbabwe also submitted an updated workplan for implementation of Article 5.[18] ZIMAC undertook a mid-term review of the strategic plan in November 2021, with support from GICHD.[19] Operational plans are reviewed annually.[20]
The government has approved a Communication and Resource Mobilization Strategic Plan, which was formulated with assistance from GICHD in 2019. It was set to be launched by the Minister of Defense and War Veterans Affairs in May 2020; however, this was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[21]
Legislation and standards
Zimbabwe had planned to update its national mine action standards in accordance with the latest International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) in 2021, but this was postponed until 2022. Standards on mine detection dogs and mechanical clearance will be the first to be updated.[22]
Information management
During 2019, GICHD supported ZIMAC to improve the efficiency of its Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA).[23] In 2022, ZIMAC reported that its database was up to date.[24]
National and global goals
Zimbabwe aims to integrate mine action into broader national development priorities, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its plan to achieve upper-middle-income country status by 2030.[25]
Gender and diversity
ZIMAC is working to mainstream gender considerations within mine action activities, particularly victim assistance and risk education.[26] In 2020, Zimbabwe reported having plans to work on a gender and diversity policy for its mine action program.[27] Gender and diversity is included within the National Mine Action Strategic Plan for 2018–2025.[28]
Mine action in Zimbabwe is bound by the national policy to give equal opportunity to both genders and promote women to take on roles which have typically been dominated by men. However, the mine action program falls short of a 50/50 representation target for decision-making and operations roles.[29] Mine action data in Zimbabwe is disaggregated by age and gender.[30]
Risk education management and coordination
Risk education management and coordination overview[31]
Government focal points |
Zimbabwe Mine Action Centre (ZIMAC) |
Coordination mechanisms |
Mine Action Working Group meetings, held monthly |
Coordination outcomes |
Operators provide risk education alongside ZIMAC staff |
Risk education standards |
Risk education standards are included within the Zimbabwe National Mine Action Standards (ZNMAS) |
Coordination
Risk education is coordinated by ZIMAC, and is included as a topic of discussion within the Mine Action Working Group, which convenes monthly.[32] During 2021, four coordination meetings were held, with a focus on how to conduct risk education safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.[33]
ZIMAC regularly attends risk education sessions to carry out quality assurance and control.[34]
Strategies
Risk education is included within the National Mine Action Strategic Plan 2018–2025.[35] ZIMAC planned to develop and implement a new risk education strategy to better reach populations across the country, due to the threat from explosive remnants of war (ERW).[36]
National standards and guidelines
Zimbabwe’s national standard for mine/ERW risk education was updated in June 2022.[37]
Victim assistance management and coordination
Victim assistance management and coordination overview[38]
Government focal points |
Department of Disability Affairs, within the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare National Disability Board |
Coordination mechanisms |
ZIMAC coordinates the inclusion of mine/ERW victims into the National Social Welfare Database Mine Action Coordination Meetings |
Coordination regularity and outcomes |
Victim assistance was discussed during the one Mine Action Coordination Meeting held in 2021 |
Plans/strategies |
Strategic Goal 3 of the National Mine Action Strategic Plan 2018–2025 covers victim assistance |
Disability sector integration
|
Victim assistance is integrated into broader disability rights frameworks through the 2018–2025 national strategic plan |
Survivor inclusion and participation |
None |
Coordination
In 2019, Zimbabwe created a new Department of Disability Affairs, within the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. It coordinates all programs related to the welfare of persons with disabilities, including mine/ERW survivors.[39] During 2020–2021, the department was in the process of introducing disability focal points in all government ministries.[40]
Zimbabwe is yet to mobilize victims to establish associations to advocate for rights and welfare.[41]
Laws and policies
Mine/ERW survivors in Zimbabwe are covered by the National Disability Policy and the Disabled Persons Act 1992.[42] In 2019–2020, nationwide consultations aimed to amend this law in accordance with international standards and present new policies and a revised draft of the law to key stakeholders.[43] The National Disability Policy was adopted in 2021 and is inclusive of the needs and rights of mine/ERW victims.
Zimbabwe’s constitution recognizes the rights of persons with disabilities and requires the government to provide mechanisms to realize those rights.[44] Resources, however, are limited.[45]
Zimbabwe acceded to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2013, and committed at the 2018 Global Disability Summit to enact national-level policies to implement the CRPD.[46] In 2021, Zimbabwe was in the process of aligning legislation with the CRPD.[47]
An employment quota, aimed at ensuring persons with disabilities make up 10% of the workforce, was approved in May 2021. However, government offices in Zimbabwe had only limited facilities and lacked access for persons with disabilities.[48]
Vocational training fees are paid by the government for persons with disabilities at both public and private rehabilitation centers.[49] Funding constraints prevent the implementation of a full program to support the rehabilitation of mine/ERW victims.[50]
A policy to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities to new buildings was being developed by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works in 2022.[51] Yet ramps were unavailable in most existing schools, preventing children with disabilities from attending.[52]
Strategies
The National Mine Action Strategic Plan 2018–2025 includes victim assistance as a Strategic Goal and outlines the roles and responsibilities of government ministries.[53]
Addressing the Impact
Mine action
Clearance operators
Clearance operators[54]
National |
National Mine Clearance Unit (NMCU) Military Engineers |
International |
The HALO Trust APOPO Mines Advisory Group (MAG) Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) |
Land release in 2021
In 2021, the National Mine Clearance Unit (NMCU), the HALO Trust, Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), APOPO, and Mines Advisory Group (MAG) released a total of 11.28km², exceeding the annual projection of 7.72km².[55] A total of 2.44km² was cleared of antipersonnel landmines, while 3.17km² was reduced through technical survey and 5.67km² was cancelled through non-technical survey.[56]
Land release in 2021[57]
Area cleared (km²) |
Area reduced (km²) |
Area cancelled (km²) |
APM destroyed |
Other ERW destroyed |
2.44 |
3.17 |
5.67 |
26,457 |
3 |
Note: APM=antipersonnel mine and ERW=explosive remnants of war.
Mount Darwin district, in Mashonaland Central province, was declared mine-free in November 2021.[58]
Re-survey resulted in an additional 0.45km² of contaminated land being identified in 2021.[59]
All operators prioritized clearance first in heavily populated areas, followed by areas of economic importance or where infrastructure development projects were planned.[60]
Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 clearance deadline
Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, and in accordance with the eight-year deadline extension granted in 2017, Zimbabwe must clear and destroy all antipersonnel landmines within mined areas under its jurisdiction or control by 31 December 2025. Zimbabwe reported that it is on target to meet this deadline, with 38% of known contamination left to clear as of end 2021.[61]
Five-year landmine clearance overview
Year |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
2018 |
2017 |
TOTAL |
Area cleared (km²) |
2.44 |
2.41 |
2.76 |
2.11 |
1.66 |
11.38 |
Yet in 2022, ZIMAC reported that during the extension period, several challenges might affect projected annual land release targets and the goal of completing clearance by 2025. These include heavy rains and flooding on low-lying border minefields; shrapnel from detonated ploughshare mines slowing the pace of manual demining; diversion or reduction of anticipated demining funds; and the economic downturn, which may affect government support to the sector. ZIMAC also noted that unexpected events, such as cyclones and the COVID-19 pandemic, could also affect land release output.[62]
Zimbabwe has developed a revised workplan for 2021–2025 based on a review of annual outputs and remaining work to be completed. The national strategic plan had projected a total of 33.33km² to be released by the end of 2021. This target was surpassed, with 47.46km² released in total (42% more than projected).[63]
Mechanical clearance assets, first introduced in Zimbabwe during 2016, have made demining more efficient. Mine detection dogs have increased the pace of technical survey. In 2021, a total of three mechanical demining teams and one mine detection dog team were operational in Zimbabwe.[64]
ZIMAC projected an increase in annual land release totals due to the start of clearance operations by APOPO in December 2020. Yet this did not transpire due to reduced funding by the UK’s FCDO, which resulted in decreased clearance capacity among other operators.[65] Figures for reduction via technical survey are projected to decrease in the coming years, due to the remaining contaminated areas being clearly defined.[66]
ERW are cleared through explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) call-outs, outside of mined areas.[67]
COVID-19 restrictions in Zimbabwe resulted in the suspension of clearance operations in 2020, and again in early 2021. Clearance operations had returned to full capacity by February 2021, yet further time was lost due to outbreaks of COVID-19 among deminers.[68]
Border clearance
Most of the minefields in Zimbabwe are along its border with Mozambique, although there are no challenges reported in relation to clearance of these border areas.[69]
Residual hazards
ZIMAC reports that the NMCU and Military Engineers will continue to deal with any residual risk once Zimbabwe’s Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 clearance obligations are met.[70]
Risk education
Operators
Risk education operators[71]
Type of organization |
Name of organization |
Type of activity |
Governmental |
National Mine Clearance Unit (NMCU) |
Risk education at community development events, social gatherings, and in schools |
Ministry of Education |
Works with international operators to implement a pilot literacy program, “Happy Readers,” which includes risk education messages |
|
International |
HALO Trust
|
Risk education integrated with clearance, delivered via face-to-face sessions and posters, in communities and schools |
Mines Advisory Group (MAG) |
Risk education integrated with clearance; emergency risk education; and training of community focal points |
|
Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) |
Risk education integrated with non-technical survey; and risk education in Manicaland province alongside the Military Engineers |
|
World Without Mines |
Supports a risk education and clearance project with the HALO Trust near the northeast border with Mozambique |
Beneficiary numbers
Beneficiaries of risk education in 2021[72]
Operator |
Men |
Boys |
Women |
Girls |
HALO Trust |
327 |
1,791 |
363 |
1,893 |
NPA |
408 |
429 |
349 |
468 |
MAG |
455 |
1,288 |
495 |
1,332 |
APOPO |
99 |
581 |
74 |
532 |
COVID-19 restrictions imposed in Zimbabwe impacted the number of risk education beneficiaries reached in 2020 and 2021. The NMCU was not able to hold its risk education events, and a house-to-house approach was adopted by other operators to avoid large gatherings.[73] Only MAG reported providing persons with disabilities with risk education in 2021, reaching 11 adults (a woman and 10 men). No risk education took place in January–February 2021; sessions resumed in March.[74]
Implementation
Target groups
Risk education in Zimbabwe is implemented in rural areas, targeting communities living adjacent to mine contaminated areas.[75] The focus of messaging was on contamination by antipersonnel and antivehicle mines, with a lesser focus on ERW.[76] After the rise in ERW casualties in 2020, ZIMAC reported that it would expand risk education coverage to areas contaminated with ERW, in addition to mined areas, setting a target to reach 3,000 people living in ERW contaminated areas.[77]
While there is no comprehensive victim surveillance system, operators used available data to target risk education. Animal accident data was also used by operators, to understand where people might be at risk when herding animals.[78] ZIMAC reported that data disaggregated by sex and disability was used to better understand the impact of contamination on different sectors of the population.
Risk education was provided to men and women from Zimbabwe and Mozambique working in tea and timber estates along the border. Workers from Mozambique were viewed to be particularly at risk, as they often crossed through CHA using unsafe paths.[79] Border traders were targeted for risk education, due to their use of unofficial crossing points to avoid the payment of taxes.[80] Residents of border communities were also at risk when crossing the border to visit family members and relatives, and to access education and social services.[81]
Other identified vulnerable groups included children walking to and from school near the border; women and girls collecting firewood and water; and men and boys tending cattle.[82] Men were thought to be the highest-risk group, due to livelihood activities taking them into mined areas.[83] This included cutting trees for charcoal production and brick-making, clearing land for subsistence farming, and hunting.[84] Young men were targeted because of the misconception that mines contain red mercury and can be sold for a profit, thus encouraging intentional risk-taking behavior.[85]
Due to a shortage of arable land, some families were forced to farm in or near unsafe areas.[86] Cattle farmers were exposed to mine/ERW risk when they entered contaminated areas to retrieve cattle.[87] During 2021, more than 20 cattle strayed into mined areas in Mashonaland Central province.[88]
Delivery methods
Risk education in Zimbabwe is primarily conducted via sessions held in communities, and via the distribution of small, printed media. The NMCU usually holds an annual risk education music gala in its areas of operation, but this was cancelled in 2020–2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[89]
International operators partner with ZIMAC to conduct risk education. Risk education is combined with EOD, survey, and clearance activities and is often provided as a direct response to mine/ERW incidents.[90]
Risk education was conducted in primary and secondary schools in affected areas, although not as part of the formal school curriculum.[91] Zimbabwe had reported that efforts were being made to integrate risk education into the school curriculum, but the plan was not implemented due to the number of schools in affected areas being too few.[92] MAG and the HALO Trust partnered local authorities via the “Happy Readers” initiative to integrate risk education into the literacy program in schools. The program was piloted in four schools in 2019,[93] and fully implemented in 2020.[94]
The HALO Trust partnered with local police in Zimbabwe to provide advice about the dangers of antivehicle and antipersonnel mines to oxcarts.[95]
Community focal points have been trained by ZIMAC and operators to identify and report hazards, while some have also been trained to deliver risk education sessions.[96]
Few people among those affected by landmines in remote border areas had access to social media, while literacy rates were low. Digital risk education methods were not employed in Zimbabwe in 2021, but were discussed by ZIMAC and operators as a potential way to reach people if COVID-19 restrictions persisted.[97]
In 2021, operators in Zimbabwe conducted interviews and focus group discussions before and after mine/ERW risk education sessions to gauge knowledge retention.[98]
Key developments in 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic continued to impact the delivery of risk education in 2021. Schools were closed for much of the year, and public gatherings were restricted. MAG conducted risk education using a vehicle with a public address system.[99] NPA focused on developing a household survey to plan future risk education activities.[100]
During 2021, the HALO Trust distributed 4,000 copies of the “Happy Readers” minefield book to 18 schools in areas with landmine contamination in Mashonaland Central province. Teachers and school leaders were trained on how to use the book and deliver risk education messaging.[101]
Victim assistance
Victim assistance providers[102]
Type of organization |
Name of organization |
Type of activity |
Governmental |
Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare |
Medical care, physical rehabilitation, and socio-economic inclusion |
Zimbabwe Mine Action Centre (ZIMAC) |
Casualty reporting and advocacy |
|
Department of Disability Affairs |
Disability programming and advocacy |
|
Ministry of Health and Child Care |
Facilitates rehabilitation and the provision of assistive devices |
|
National |
Cassims Prosthetics |
Prosthetics and orthopedics |
International |
HALO Trust |
Casualty reporting, and identification of survivors for prosthetics fitting |
Needs assessment
The total number of mine/ERW victims in Zimbabwe is not known. The Department of Disability Affairs maintains a database of persons with disabilities receiving social protection services, but this does not record the cause of the disability. A Living Conditions Survey, undertaken in 2013, collected data on the needs and challenges of persons with disabilities in Zimbabwe.[103]
ZIMAC and the Department of Disability Affairs planned a National Landmine Victim Survey to provide better data on victims and the cause of accidents.[104] This survey failed to materialize due to the lack of funding and COVID-19 restrictions in 2020–2021.[105] The Department of Disability Affairs included questions on cause of disability in the national census held in April 2022.[106]
Operators collect victim data when conducting survey and risk education activities, and report this to ZIMAC for inclusion on the IMSMA database.[107] ZIMAC and operators also reported victims in remote areas for registration with the Department of Disability Affairs in 2021.[108]
Medical care and rehabilitation
Immediate medical care for mine or ERW injuries is provided at primary healthcare clinics, which then refer most cases to district hospitals for treatment. Transit of patients to referral facilities often involves long distances, as most minefields are in remote locations. ZIMAC reported that people injured by mines/ERW usually receive treatment at their nearest local district hospital or clinic. Yet if their injuries are beyond the capabilities of local healthcare services, travel to provincial or national healthcare centers is required, including to one of five central hospitals in Zimbabwe.[109]
With the support of the Red Cross Society of Zimbabwe, healthcare workers and first-aid providers have been trained to assist in cases of injuries, but lack equipment and knowledge of landmines.[110] Clearance operators also facilitate access to mine/ERW victims in emergencies, and provide first-aid support.[111] The government ambulance system was reported to cover all districts in 2021.[112]
Limited rehabilitation services, specialist doctors, physical therapists, and prosthetics are available in contaminated rural areas. Yet these services are not comprehensive as resources are scarce.
There are three public national rehabilitation centers in Zimbabwe, which also provide assistive devices. These services are not available in the mine-affected regions, and rural residents and mine survivors oftenå cannot afford to travel to access services or spend long periods away from home. The United States (US) Department of State and UK-based non-governmental organization (NGO) Zimbabwe a National Emergency (ZANE)å both supported the travel and fitting missions of Cassims Prosthetics in Bulawayo, through funds granted to NPA and the HALO Trust. This arrangement constituted the only reliable source of prosthetics services in Zimbabwe,[113] but it was reported that no assistance was provided in 2021.[114] HALO Trust Zimbabwe had supported the provision of prosthetic limbs to 120 landmine survivors, in cooperation with Cassims Prosthetics, between 2015 and 2021.[115]
Socio-economic and psychosocial inclusion
Psychological support services are available through provincial and national healthcare facilities, guided by Zimbabwe’s national mental health policy. There are shortages in both psychological and psychosocial support services, while peer-to-peer support is also lacking. Zimbabwe has indicated the need to engage associations of mine/ERW victims.[116]
Cross-cutting
Assistance is provided to all persons with disabilities through the Department of Social Welfare.[117] Support includes the payment of vocational training and medical fees, cash transfers, educational assistance for all school-age children, loans, assistive devices, and the monthly provision of maize to persons experiencing food insecurity.[118]
[1] Ibid., p. 2.
[2] Ibid., pp. 2–3.
[3] Ibid., Annex 3.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Email from Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 17 August 2022. The Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 11, states 269 casualties for all time, but this excludes the three casualties that occurred in 2021.
[6] Statement of Zimbabwe, Mine Ban Treaty Eighth Meeting of States Parties, Dead Sea, 19 November 2007.
[7] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), p. 12.
[8] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 11; Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), p. 13; responses to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 2 March 2021 and 4 October 2017; email from Tom Dibb, Programme Manager, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 23 March 2015; interview with Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, in Geneva, 24 June 2011; Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Reports (for calendar years 2010–2016), Form J; and ICBL, Landmine Monitor Report 2009: Toward a Mine-Free World (Ottawa: Mines Action Canada, October 2009).
[9] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 11.
[10] Email from Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 17 August 2022.
[11] Monitor analysis of Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) data for calendar year 2021.
[12] PJH Petter-Bowyer, Winds of Destruction: The autobiography of a Rhodesian born pilot covering the Rhodesian bush war of 1967–1980 (Trafford Publishing, 2003).
[13] Email from Capt. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Coordinator, ZIMAC, 12 September 2019; response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 14 May 2020; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2019), Form A, p. 2.
[14] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2019), Form A, p. 1.
[15] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex A, p. 19.
[16] Email from Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 17 August 2022; and response to Monitor questionnaire by Zlatko Vezilic, Operations Manager, Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), 5 April 2022.
[17] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex A, p. 16.
[18] ZIMAC, “Zimbabwe’s Revised Mine Action Work Plan for 2019–2025,” Annex B to Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2019).
[19] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 1; and GICHD, “GICHD Update – MASG Meeting – 27 April 2022,” 27 April 2022
[20] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 2 March 2021; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex A, p. 20.
[21] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 14 May 2020; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Annex A, p. 19.
[22] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 3.
[23] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2019), Form J, p. 15.
[24] Email from Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 17 August 2022; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 3.
[25] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2019), Form A, p. 1; and response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 2 March 2021.
[26] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 14 May 2020.
[27] Email from Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 17 August 2022; Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex 1, p. 16; and response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 2 March 2021.
[28] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 1.
[29] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 2 March 2021.
[30] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex 1, p. 16; and response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 2 March 2021.
[31] Responses to Monitor questionnaire by Delia Sandra Maphosa, Community Liaison Team Leader, MAG Zimbabwe, 10 May 2020; and by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 14 May 2020.
[32] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Delia Sandra Maphosa, Community Liaison Team Leader, MAG Zimbabwe, 10 May 2020.
[33] Responses to Monitor questionnaire by Zlatko Vezilic, Operations Manager, Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) Zimbabwe, 6 April 2022; and by Nokutenda Masiyanise, Programme Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 5 April 2022.
[34] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Katie Wellington, Program Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 22 April 2020.
[35] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 8 February 2022.
[36] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 2 March 2021; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report (for calendar year 2021), p. 7
[37] Email from Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 17 August 2022.
[38] Statement of Zimbabwe, Mine Ban Treaty Fourth Review Conference, Oslo, 28 November 2019; Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 10; and response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 14 May 2020.
[39] Statement of Zimbabwe, Mine Ban Treaty Fourth Review Conference, Oslo, 28 November 2019; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 10.
[40] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex B, p. 4; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Annex B, p. 2.
[41] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Annex B, p. 3.
[42] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2019), Form H, p. 13; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex B, p. 41.
[43] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 14 May 2020.
[44] Statement of Zimbabwe, Mine Ban Treaty Fourth Review Conference, Oslo, 28 November 2019.
[45] Proceed Manatsa, “Are disability laws in Zimbabwe compatible with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)?” International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention, Vol. 4, Issue 4, April 2015, pp. 25–34: and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), p. 11.
[46] International Disability Alliance (IDA), “Commitments: Zimbabwe Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare,” undated.
[47] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Annex B, p. 5; and response to Monitor questionnaire by Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 8 February 2022.
[48] United States (US) Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, “2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Zimbabwe,” 12 April 2022, p. 46.
[49] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), p. 11, and Annex B, p. 6.
[50] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 11.
[51] Ibid., p. 3; and email from Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 17 August 2022.
[52] US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, “2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Zimbabwe,” 12 April 2022, p. 47.
[53] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 11.
[54] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), p. 5, and Annex A, pp. 5–14. The Military Engineers are tasked with clearing only ERW. APOPO has been working in Zimbabwe since 2018, but did not begin clearance operations until December 2020.
[55] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), pp. 4–5.
[56] Ibid.
[57] For 2021 clearance data, see Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), pp. 4–5; and response to Monitor questionnaire by Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 8 February 2022. For 2016–2020 clearance data, see previous Landmine Monitor reports. From 2020–2025, Zimbabwe expected to release the following amount of land annually: 2020 (9.11km2), 2021 (7.72km2), 2022 (7.76km2), 2023 (7.89km2), 2024 (6.74km2), and 2025 (4.16km2). For details on the annual land release projections, see Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), pp. 3–4.
[58] “Fight to rid Zimbabwe of the colonial legacy of landmines bears fruit,” CGTN Africa/Xinhua, 15 November 2021.
[59] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), pp. 4–5.
[60] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 14 May 2020.
[61] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Annex A, p. 3; and response to Monitor questionnaire by Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 8 February 2022.
[62] Ibid.
[63] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Annex A, p. 2.
[64] Ibid., Annex A, p. 2.
[65] Ibid., Annex A, p. 4; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex A, p. 2.
[66] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Annex A, p. 4.
[67] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex A, p. 6.
[68] Ibid., Annex A, pp. 6–10; and responses to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 2 March 2021; and by Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 8 February 2022.
[69] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 2 March 2021.
[70] Ibid., 14 May 2020; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 3.
[71] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Delia Sandra Maphosa, Community Liaison Team Leader, MAG Zimbabwe, 10 May 2020; email from Rasmus Sandvoll Weschke, Advisor on Conflict Preparedness and Protection, NPA, 5 June 2020; World Without Mines, “Zimbabwe: Risk education and mine clearance: Project duration: since 2015,” undated; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex 5, p. 21, and Annex 10, p. 26
[72] Responses to Monitor questionnaire by Nokutenda Masiyanise, Programme Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 5 April 2022; by Zlatko Vezilic, Operations Manager, NPA Zimbabwe, 6 April 2022; and by Philip Mwatsera, Community Liaison Team Leader, MAG Zimbabwe, 17 March 2022. The NMCU did not conduct any risk education in 2021. Email from Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 17 August 2022.
[73] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex A, p. 15; Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 6; and email from Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 17 August 2022.
[74] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex A, p. 11.
[75] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Katie Wellington, Program Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 22 April 2020.
[76] Ibid.
[77] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), pp. 6–7, and Annex A, p. 6.
[78] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Katie Wellington, Program Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 22 April 2020.
[79] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Zlatko Vezilic, Operations Manager, NPA Zimbabwe, 17 March 2021.
[80] Responses to Monitor questionnaire by Delia Sandra Maphosa, Community Liaison Team Leader, MAG Zimbabwe, 10 May 2020; and by Zlatko Vezilic, Operations Manager, NPA Zimbabwe, 17 March 2021.
[81] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Phillip Mwatsera, Community Liaison Team Leader, MAG Zimbabwe, 17 March 2022; and “Fight to rid Zimbabwe of the colonial legacy of landmines bears fruit,” CGTN Africa/xinhua, 15 November 2021.
[82] Responses to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 14 May 2020; and by Katie Wellington, Program Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 22 April 2020.
[83] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2019), Form G, p. 8.
[84] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Phillip Mwatsera, Community Liaison Team Leader, MAG Zimbabwe, 17 March 2022.
[85] Responses to Monitor questionnaire by Katie Wellington, Program Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 22 April 2020; and by Nokutenda Masiyanise, Programme Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 5 April 2022.
[86] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Zlatko Vezilic, Operations Manager, NPA Zimbabwe, 17 March 2021.
[87] Ibid; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 7.
[88] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Annex A, p. 6.
[89] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2019), Form G, p. 8; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex A, p. 15.
[90] Responses to Monitor questionnaire by Delia Maphosa, Community Liaison Team Leader, MAG Zimbabwe, 10 March 2021; by Zlatko Vezilic, Operations Manager, NPA Zimbabwe, 17 March 2021; and by Nokutenda Masiyanise, Programme Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 27 February 2021 and 5 April 2022.
[91] Responses to Monitor questionnaire by Katie Wellington, Program Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 22 April 2020; and by Nokutenda Masiyanise, Programme Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 27 February 2021.
[92] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), pp. 6–7; Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 6; and email from Maj. Cainos Tamanikwa, Operations Officer, ZIMAC, 17 August 2022.
[93] Responses to Monitor questionnaire by Delia Sandra Maphosa, Community Liaison Team Leader, MAG Zimbabwe, 10 May 2020; and by Katie Wellington, Program Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 22 April 2020.
[94] Responses to Monitor questionnaire by Nokutenda Masiyanise, Programme Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 27 February 2021; and by Delia Maphosa, Community Liaison Team Leader, MAG Zimbabwe, 10 March 2021.
[95] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Katie Wellington, Program Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 22 April 2020.
[96] Responses to Monitor questionnaire by Delia Maphosa, Community Liaison Team Leader, MAG Zimbabwe, 10 March 2021; and by Zlatko Vezilic, Operations Manager, NPA Zimbabwe, 6 April 2022.
[97] Responses to Monitor questionnaire by Nokutenda Masiyanise, Programme Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 5 April 2022; and by Zlatko Vezilic, Operations Manager, NPA Zimbabwe, 6 April 2022.
[98] Responses to Monitor questionnaire by Zlatko Vezilic, Operations Manager, NPA Zimbabwe, 6 April 2022; and by Phillip Mwatsera, Community Liaison Team Leader, MAG Zimbabwe, 17 March 2022.
[99] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 6; and responses to Monitor questionnaire by Nokutenda Masiyanise, Programme Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 5 April 2022; and by Phillip Mwatsera, Community Liaison Team Leader, MAG Zimbabwe, 17 March 2022.
[100] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Zlatko Vezilic, Operations Manager, NPA Zimbabwe, 6 April 2022.
[101] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Nokutenda Masiyanise, Programme Officer, HALO Trust Zimbabwe, 5 April 2022.
[102] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), pp. 13–14, and Annex B; and response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 2 March 2021.
[103] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex B, p. 7.
[104] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 2 March 2021.
[105] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2018), from G; and statement of Zimbabwe, Mine Ban Treaty Fourth Review Conference, Oslo, 28 November 2019.
[106] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 11; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2019), Form D, p. 6.
[107] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Zlatko Vezilic, Operations Manager, NPA Zimbabwe, 17 March 2021.
[108] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 11; and response to Monitor questionnaire by Zlatko Vezilic, Operations Manager, NPA Zimbabwe, 6 April 2022.
[109] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 11; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), p. 14.
[110] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), p. 13.
[111] Ibid., pp. 13–14.
[112] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Annex B, p. 6.
[113] Statement of Zimbabwe, Victim Assistance Experts Meeting, Mine Ban Treaty Seventeenth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 28 November 2018; and email from Sam Fricker, Project Officer, HALO Trust, 3 September 2019.
[114] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), p. 12; Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), p. 14; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2019), Form H, p. 14.
[115] HALO Trust, “Stepping into the future,” undated; and HALO Trust, “Your impact in 2021,” undated.
[116] Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2020), Annex B, p. 11; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Annex B, p. 10.
[117] Response to Monitor questionnaire by Col. MB Ncube, Director, ZIMAC, 14 May 2020.
[118] Statement of Zimbabwe, Mine Ban Treaty Fourth Review Conference, Oslo, 25–29 November 2019.
Mine Ban Policy
Policy
The Republic of Zimbabwe signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified on 18 June 1998, becoming a State Party on 1 March 1999. In January 2001, Zimbabwe enacted the Anti-Personnel Mines (Prohibition) Act 2000, which incorporates the treaty into Zimbabwe’s domestic law.[1]
Zimbabwe has provided its views on matters of interpretation and implementation related to Articles 1, 2, and 3. In May 2006, it stated that in joint military operations Zimbabwean forces will not assist or participate in planning and implementation of activities related to the use of antipersonnel mines. It said that the Mine Ban Treaty “clearly bans” foreign stockpiling and transit of antipersonnel mines, and also prohibits antivehicle mines with sensitive antihandling devices or sensitive fuzes that can function as antipersonnel mines. Finally, it said that the number of mines States Parties chose to retain should only be in the hundreds or thousands and not tens of thousands.[2]
Zimbabwe regularly attends meetings of the treaty, including the Third Review Conference in Maputo in June 2014, and more recently the Seventeenth Meeting of States Parties in Geneva in November 2018, where it provided an update on Article 5 mine clearance activities.[3] Zimbabwe also attended the intersessional meetings in Geneva in May 2019.
Zimbabwe is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons, nor is it party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
Production, transfer, stockpile destruction, and retention
The government maintains that there has been no mine production since independence.[4] Previously, government and other sources indicated that Zimbabwe was a past producer and exporter of antipersonnel mines, but not on a significant scale.[5] Production of two types of Claymore mines, the Z1 and ZAPS types, ended when Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980.[6] On 15 November 2000, Zimbabwe destroyed its stockpile of 4,092 antipersonnel mines.[7] At the time, it decided to retain 700 mines for training and development purposes (500 PMD-6 and 200 R2M2).[8] By the end of 2018, that number had been reduced to 450 (340 PMD-6 and 110 R2M2).[9]
Zimbabwe has acknowledged that it also stockpiles Claymore-type devices, but without tripwire fuzes because Zimbabwe considers these illegal under the Mine Ban Treaty.[10]
[1] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form A, 1 December 2003. The ICBL expressed concern about a provision in the act relating to joint military operations with a country not party to the Mine Ban Treaty; and see, Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 176.
[2] “Response to LM Draft Report for Zimbabwe,” from Col. J. Munongwa, former Director, ZIMAC, 30 May 2006. For more details see, Landmine Monitor Report 2006, pp. 810–811.
[3] Statement of Zimbabwe, Mine Ban Treaty Seventeenth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 29 November 2018.
[4] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form E, December 2006.
[5] Earlier statements by Zimbabwe government sources and others indicated that production of two types of Claymore mines, the Z1 and ZAPS, ended when Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980, while production of PloughShare mines was stopped between 1990 and 1993. For more information on past production and export, see, Landmine Monitor Report 1999, pp. 97–99.
[6] Interview with Col. J. Munongura, Director, Zimbabwe Mine Action Center, Geneva, 4 February 2003.
[7] Zimbabwe destroyed 3,846 PMD-6 mines and 246 R2M2 mines. Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form B, 8 July 2005.
[8] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form D, 4 April 2001.
[9] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form C, 2019.
[10] Interview with Col. J. Munongwa, ZIMAC, in Geneva, 4 February 2003.
Support for Mine Action
In 2021, seven donors contributed US$8.8 million toward clearance operations in the Republic of Zimbabwe (13% less than in 2020).[1] All funds were allocated to clearance and risk education activities.
International contributions: 2021[2]
Donor |
Sector |
Amount (national currency) |
Amount (US$) |
United Kingdom |
Clearance and risk education |
£2,422,740 |
3,334,660 |
Norway |
Clearance and risk education |
NOK13,652,000 |
1,588,273 |
United States |
Clearance and risk education |
US$1,500,000 |
1,500,000 |
Japan |
Clearance |
¥73,102,976 |
665,523 |
Ireland |
Clearance |
€550,000 |
650,650 |
Sweden |
Clearance and risk education |
SEK5,200,000 |
605,976 |
Switzerland |
Clearance |
CHF404,882 |
442,784 |
Total |
N/A |
8,787,866 |
Note: N/A=not applicable.
In 2016–2021, the government of Zimbabwe contributed $2.7 million to its national mine action program, representing 7% of its total mine action budget.[3] International contributions have totaled some $38 million during that time.
In August 2017, Zimbabwe submitted its fifth Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline extension request, in which it estimated approximately $130 million would be needed to carry out clearance operations in 2017–2025. Zimbabwe projected that it would contribute about $12.7 million of this total. This implies that Zimbabwe’s capacity to address its mine contamination largely depends on adequate and steady international funding.[4]
Summary of contributions: 2017–2021[5]
Year |
National contributions (US$) |
International contributions (US$) |
Total contributions (US$) |
2021 |
500,000 |
8,787,866 |
9,287,866 |
2020 |
500,000 |
10,068,510 |
10,568,510 |
2019 |
500,000 |
7,917,891 |
8,417,891 |
2018 |
700,000 |
6,063,228 |
6,763,228 |
2017 |
500,000 |
5,590,253 |
6,090,253 |
Total |
2,700,000 |
38,427,748 |
41,127,748 |
[1] Ireland Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Form J, 5 May 2022; Japan Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Form I, 30 April 2022; Norway Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Form J, 31 May 2022; Email from Alma Molin Aziegbe, Program Manager at the Unit for Peace and Human Security, Department for International Organisations and Policy Support, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA); Switzerland Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Form I, 28 April 2022; United States Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, To Walk the Earth in Safety 2022, August 2022; and United Kingdom Convention on Cluster Munitions Article 7 Report (for calendar year 2021), Form I, 28 April 2022.
[2] Average exchange rates for 2021: CHF0.9144=US$1; €1=US$1.183; NOK8.5955=US$1; £1.3764=US$1; SEK8.5812=US$1; ¥109.84=US$1. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2022.
[3] Zimbabwe Fourth Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 31 December 2013; Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, April 2017; and Zimbabwe Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, 27 April 2018.
[4] Zimbabwe Fifth Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request (revised), 9 August 2017, p. 10.
rticle 7 Report, Form D, 10 April 2016. Angola Mine ACtion .
[5] See previous Monitor reports.