"Zimbabwe Could Be Self-Sufficient" - European Union

European Union ambassador to Zimbabwe, Timo Olkkonen, has said that Zimbabwe could be self-sufficient were it not of rampant and institutionalised corruption in the country.

Olkkonen observed that corruption has impinged on the development as reports suggest that millions of dollars have been stolen from the State. Olkkonen said:

Corruption has had a huge effect; you have people talking about hundreds of millions, even billions, in terms of the Auditor-General’s report.

Then you imagine that you have a humanitarian appeal for Zimbabwe, which is at the tune of a couple of hundreds of millions. Basically, just a part of what is assumed to have been stolen could have covered those humanitarian needs. I think the effect of corruption has been devastating to the country.

His remarks come when Zimbabwe has appealed to the international community to assist it with aid so as to head off projected starvation.

President Mnangagwa declared famine a national disaster saying the country would need about 800 000 tonnes of maize to avert hunger.

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