A significant legislative development is unfolding in the United States House of Representatives, where a new comprehensive Bill, the Department of State Policy Provisions Act, has been introduced proposing the repeal of the nearly 25-year-old sanctions regime on Zimbabwe. This move signals a potential major shift in Washington's foreign policy towards Harare.

Central to this proposed legislation is a provision that seeks to repeal the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001 (ZDERA). For almost a quarter-century, ZDERA has formed the bedrock of US sanctions against Zimbabwe, effectively enabling the US to block loans, debt relief, and financial assistance to Zimbabwe from crucial global financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. This has significantly restricted Zimbabwe's access to the international financial system.

However, the proposed repeal is not unconditional. The new Bill explicitly incorporates the existing agreement between the Zimbabwean Government and former commercial farmers, linking it directly to the country's land reform legacy. It stipulates that the United States will withhold support for any new IMF or World Bank funding for Zimbabwe unless the Government commits to fully compensating white former commercial farmers in accordance with the Global Compensation Deed. Reportedly, over US$20 million has already been disbursed to these farmers, a fact confirmed by many recipients to delegates during a side event at the African Development Bank annual meetings in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, towards the end of May.

The Bill states: "The Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001 (ZEDERA Act), as amended, Public Law 107-99 (115 Statute 962) is hereby repealed." Regarding funding conditions, it reads: "The United States shall not support any new or expanded funding from the International Monetary Fund or the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (commonly known as the World Bank) for the Government of Zimbabwe unless the Government of Zimbabwe shall commit, within 12 months of the approval of such new or expanded funding, to remit all outstanding arrears owed under the Global Compensation Deed, inflation adjusted to the date of enactment, and compensation shall not be in the form of Zimbabwe issued securities. Failure to comply with this provision shall result in an immediate cessation of all United States support for any further funding from these institutions."

Introduced by Republican Mr. Brian Mast, the Department of State Policy Provisions Act is a broad authorization and policy blueprint for the US State Department. Its extensive provisions span various foreign policy areas, including countering China, managing artificial intelligence, ensuring embassy security, and public diplomacy. The Bill has been referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee for debate.

Reactions to the proposed repeal are mixed. Constitutional Law Expert Professor Lovemore Madhuku expressed skepticism, telling The Herald that the effort to repeal ZDERA holds little significance beyond the symbolic. He argued that the core conditionality, particularly regarding the land reform program, remains embedded in US policy, albeit in a different format. "Meaning that Zimbabwe will remain among the countries that need measures against it and they have set conditions based on the land issue. They are still making the land issue part of American policy," Professor Madhuku stated.

Political commentator Mr. Dereck Goto acknowledged the development but highlighted that the US had inadvertently confirmed ZDERA's true motivation was Zimbabwe's land reform, rather than human rights, as previously asserted. He described ZDERA as "a noose around our economy, a chain designed to break our will, and a punishment for one crime alone, reclaiming our land from the coloniser." Mr. Goto further criticized Washington for attaching "unjust conditions" related to the Global Compensation Deed, viewing it as an attempt to make Zimbabwe pay for reclaiming its historically dispossessed land.

Echoing these sentiments, political commentator Mr. Elton Ziki described the repeal as "palliated," emphasizing that the land compensation issue remains the central concern. He deemed Washington's conditional stance unfair, especially given Zimbabwe's diplomatic position as "a friend to all and enemy to none." Mr. Ziki contended that demanding compensation for white farmers, while overlooking the nation's suffering from colonialism and land expropriation, is inconsistent and interferes with Zimbabwe's internal affairs.