Zimbabwe says it will return 67 farms seized more than two decades ago from nationals of Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland in a move the government hopes will help repair strained relations with Western countries and strengthen its case for long‑delayed debt relief.
Agriculture Minister Anxious Masuka told lawmakers the properties fall under bilateral investment protection agreements signed with the four countries and will be restored to their original owners as part of efforts to resolve long‑running land disputes.
The announcement marks the latest step in Harare’s attempt to address the legacy of the fast‑track land reform programme launched in 2000 under then‑president Robert Mugabe.
More than 4,000 of white‑owned farms were forcibly taken and redistributed to black Zimbabweans in what the government said was an effort to correct colonial‑era land imbalances.
They also led to sanctions from Western governments and a breakdown in relations with international lenders.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who took power in 2017, has pledged to normalise relations with Western capitals and settle outstanding land compensation claims.
In 2020, his government agreed to pay US$3.5 billion to about 4,000 dispossessed white farmers although progress has been slow due to fiscal constraints.
Official figures show Zimbabwe has also committed US$146 million to settle claims by foreign nationals covered under investment treaties.
Masuka said the restitution process extends beyond the 67 European‑owned farms, with 840 properties previously held by Black farmers and around 400 owned by white farmers also earmarked for return.
JN/APA