Reports out of Zimbabwe paint the typical picture of a country in crisis: food shortages, political violence, an exodus of refugees, skyrocketing inflation- essentially, a country on the brink of collapse. The most frustrating part of this image is that Zimbabwe did not always look like this- in the early 1990s, it was considered one of Africa’s most promising countries. For starters, it had one of the strongest, most diverse economies in the region. It was not only a major mining center and tobacco exporter, but also a strong agricultural producer with potential to become a regional breadbasket. Social indicators were also improving. Zimbabwe boasted one of the region’s most well-educated populations, with an adult literacy rate around 90%. The government invested heavily in education in the 1980s and with the introduction of free primary school fees, Zimbabwe was able to achieve universal primary education by1990.

By the early 2000s, this potential was squandered, demonstrating that poor leadership can wipe away development progress in a matter of years. A combination of disastrous economic policies, one-party rule and the emergence of challenges like HIV/AIDS has left millions of Zimbabweans destitute. On the economic front, inflation is over one million percent. 80% of Zimbabweans have no formal job, and many have reverted to the subsistence economy. Drought and a disastrous land redistribution policy have led to a dramatic decline in agricultural production and some 5 hectares of idle land. The United Nations (UN) now estimates that 4.1m people will face serious food shortages in Zimbabwe in 2008.

Health indicators have also fallen sharply. Zimbabwe faces the world’s fourth highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, and life expectancy has dropped from 61 years during the early 1990s to 34 years at the end of 2005. Shortages in personnel, equipment and supplies have ravaged the health system and led to sharp rises in infant and child mortality. Gross economic mismanagement and dictatorship have also meant that Zimbabweans have not been able to benefit from the scale-up in donor assistance for health like other Africans have. According to UNICEF, Zimbabwe receives the lowest donor support in southern Africa for people living with HIV, at only $4 per person per year; for comparison, in neighboring Zambia the figure is $184 per person per year.

What this all demonstrates is the potential that a fair, democratic election could hold for Zimbabwe’s future. While one election will not fix all of Zimbabwe’s problems, it will open a window of opportunity for the country to get back on track and recover what’s been lost. Countries like Rwanda and Mozambique have demonstrated the remarkable recoveries that are possible after the most destructive civil conflicts. Keys to success in these stories were not only a government dedicated to development, but strong support from the international community. That is why it is vital that the international community is not only strong in demanding free and fair elections, but is poised and ready to offer support once Zimbabwe has a chance at recovery.

-Nora Coghlan