During a panel with host Tucker Carlson at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, President Emmerson Mnangagwa stated that reclaiming land from colonial settlers triggered years of international sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom.
During a panel discussion at the World Governments Summit in Dubai with host Tucker Carlson, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa addressed the country’s controversial land reforms and the lessons learned from decades in government. Carlson asked about the economic fallout from the expulsion of white farmers under former President Robert Mugabe.
Mnangagwa acknowledged the challenges, noting that Zimbabwe’s economy has been under international sanctions for decades due to the reclamation of land from British settlers. “We seized the land and redistributed it to our people, which led to sanctions. But despite these constraints, we have made progress and strengthened our independence,” he said.
When Carlson asked about the racial dimension of the land seizures, noting that white Zimbabwean citizens were specifically targeted, the president responded, “The land belonged to Zimbabweans. Colonial settlers took it from us, and the time came to reclaim it. Those who accepted equality with African Zimbabweans remained, but those who saw themselves as superior left.”
Mnangagwa’s comments come amid renewed attention on land compensation. Last month, a U.S.-based lobbying group with ties to former President Donald Trump began advocating for the U.S. government to support Zimbabwe’s debt clearance and create financial mechanisms to compensate farmers whose lands were seized. Many of these farmers are seeking to accelerate payments owed under previous agreements.
The background of this issue traces back to the 2000s, when Mugabe implemented the Fast-Track Land Reform Program (FTLRP), forcibly redistributing roughly 1,300 commercial farms previously owned by white farmers. The program, often enforced by state-backed militias, affected around 4,000 farms and caused a dramatic decline in Zimbabwe’s commercial agricultural output.
After Mugabe’s removal in 2017, Mnangagwa’s government faced pressure to resolve the disputes. In 2020, Zimbabwe agreed to compensate the affected farmers, committing $3.5 billion over ten years. However, the government has repeatedly missed payment deadlines, leaving many farmers awaiting overdue compensation.