via IMF: Slash wage bill, review indigenisation 29/09/2014
THE International Monetary Fund said on Monday it would work with Zimbabwe to produce a debt repayment plan that would help Harare qualify for international loans.
In a statement at the end of a two-week mission to Zimbabwe, the head of the IMF office in Harare, Domenico Fanizza, said the IMF and Zimbabwe had also agreed to slash a wage bill gobbling up about 80 percent of the government budget and review a policy of forcing foreign-owned firms to sell majority stakes to locals.
“The mission welcomes Zimbabwe’s decision to start working with the international financial institutions and the IMF to prepare a plan for clearing the outstanding arrears as a step toward resolving the country’s debt challenge,” Fanizza said.
The technical Staff Monitoring Programme (SMP) helping the government deal with its pressing economic problems, including balancing the government budget and establishing stability in the financial sector as well as servicing its debt, would be extended for another 15 months to December 2015, the fund said.
“It is encouraging that the authorities have come to the conclusion that Zimbabwe cannot address these challenges without the support of international financial community,” the IMF said.
“Balancing the primary fiscal budget will send a strong signal that Zimbabwe’s government intends to live within its means, while addressing the country’s debt challenge by stepping up re-engagement with all creditors will be essential,” it said.
Harare has struggled and failed to service its $10 billion in foreign debts in any meaningful way over the last 15 years due to a severe economic crisis many blame on policies pursued by long-ruling President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party.
Fanizza said although Mugabe’s government had “redoubled” efforts to rebalance an unstable macroeconomic environment, economic growth had slowed down on a cash crunch and lack of foreign balance of payments support.
“This and the appreciation of the South African rand, the major currency of Zimbabwe’s (main) trading partner, has caused a liquidity crunch that has weakened economic activity,” it said.
“The external position remains precarious with low levels of international reserves, a large current account deficit, and external arrears,” it added.
The IMF said the technical programme would also cover “clarifying the indigenisation and economic empowerment laws” to help Zimbabwe boost mutually beneficial domestic and foreign investment, allay fears over property rights “and reassure markets of the government’s open invitation to invest in Zimbabwe.”
Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa told a press briefing on Monday that Harare was committed to reforms to put the economy back on track.
The government would also have to reduce its public sector wage bill taking up 76 percent of the budget, which Chinamasa described last week as embarrassing, he added.
“We are going to work very hard to make sure that we reduce the level of the wage bill and we are going to have to consider various options that we need to adopt as Cabinet to see that the wage bill goes down,” said Chinamasa.
“I am happy to say that I have already started discussions on this issue with my colleagues informally first before this matter comes to cabinet,” he added, and urged government employees not to make ‘unreasonable demands’ on wages.
Chinamasa did not elaborate but he has previously ruled out the government would reduce its 235,000 workforce
COMMENTS
Even if Chinamasa is committed is the President committed. He has been known to do uturns and about turns so often which has made the economy dizzy. If they were serious they would start with the Cabinet which is larger than the German Cabinet which has 16 ministers. Zimbabwe has 26. The next thing is the Ghosts must go. After that the Army. (And then I woke up).
Quite Right ‘The GBU’, and then you woke up! Nothing is for free!!! you borrow you have to pay back and like in any business the money you borrow should be going into projects that will generate an earning allowing you to pay back the borrowed funds. Normally funds borrowed are greater than what you borrowed then it is a good deal, however if you borrow and buy cars, houses and go on holiday to Malaysia you don’t generate anything and then you in dept. If you borrowed from the Chinese Mafia they will break your leg’s if you borrow from an organised institution they have a right to come in and advise how you structure you business so it enables you to pay back the borrowings and continue business afterward?????
ZANU will never reform
Cannot and will never be trusted so no investor confidence (no local confidence either). Need indigenization and Exxon to be abolished- forever – review of labour laws and bureaucratic tax regime.
Chinamasa talks and talks and talks – he loves the sound of his own voice. He CANNOT solve any problems no matter how much he talks about them. What a pathetic bunch of “politicians” we have.
63% OF THE MOST EDUCATED AFRICANS ON THE CONTINENT BELIEVE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!NO HOPE I’M AFRAID.
We have been saying the very same thing the IMF is saying now but alas these words fell on deaf Zanu ears.
ZANU rubbing their hands with glee thinking more money is coming their way soon, IMF needs to stay out until things change.
Blah, blah, blah … More hot air being spoken for the benefit of International Agencies! The proof, as always, will be in seeing actual plans taking place and I think that there is more chance finding a dinosaur on 1st Street than seeing the wage bill reduced.