China Frustrated in Zimbabwe, CMEC Refuses to Proceed with Work Until Local Authorities Disburse Funds

On July 23, the Zimbabwe director for China Machinery Engineering Corporation said that work cannot be completed on a $144 million project to renovate Harare’s water and sewage systems until local authorities disburse the remaining $72 million of the funds loaned by the Export-Import Bank of China for the project. This coincides with reports of the Chinese government being frustrated with President Emmerson Mnangagwa (backed by China during the post-Mugabe transition) after he awarded diamond exploration and mining rights to Russia.