Old Ties, New Mines: The Neocolonial Stakes in Zimbabwe–UK Rapprochement
After nearly three decades of frosty relations, Zimbabwe and the UK are warming to each other again — driven not by nostalgia, but by lithium.
In June, the UK’s Minister for Africa, Lord Ray Collins, visited Harare to pursue $1 billion in deals across sectors from agriculture to renewable energy, with critical minerals taking center stage.
For London, Zimbabwe’s vast lithium reserves represent a strategic prize, offering a way to diversify supply chains for electric vehicles, semiconductors, and defense technology — while reducing reliance on dominant producers like China.
This renewed engagement unfolds against a complex history. Once Zimbabwe’s top trading partner post-independence, the UK saw relations deteriorate in the late 1990s over its refusal to fund land reform, Zimbabwe’s farm seizures, and subsequent sanctions. Today, the UK trails far behind China and the UAE in trade volume but views mineral diplomacy as a path to regain influence.
Critics warn that the shift from aid to so-called “mutually beneficial” commercial partnerships — a cornerstone of the UK’s revamped Africa policy — risks repeating old extractive patterns, cloaked in the language of development. For Zimbabwe, potential benefits include fresh investment, market access, and a boost to its “economic diplomacy” strategy.
But as foreign powers scramble for the resources powering the green transition, one question lingers: Who will truly benefit from this second chapter — and who is merely repackaging history in eco-friendly wrapping?
