A/HRC/43/44/Add.2 8. A spiralling rate of inflation led to the most basic commodities moving out of reach of vulnerable communities. The cost of food had increased 20-fold over the six months up to August 2019, making the rate of inflation for food products higher than the overall inflation rate. During the same period, the price of maize nearly tripled. The World Food Programme stated that the maize harvest in 2019 was only 50 per cent of that seen in 2018 because the rainy season had been late and inadequate. Because of poor economic and weather conditions, it is likely that the 2020 harvest will also be insufficient. Except for a small number of privileged individuals, the vast majority of Zimbabweans eat insufficient or inadequate food, skip meals, take children out of school, sell their livestock or fall into a vicious cycle of debt. 9. Considering that approximately 60 per cent of the population is already suffering from food insecurity, the World Food Programme has scaled up its food aid programme to try to meet people’s needs, prioritizing the areas most severely hit. The Programme needs additional funding to deliver food aid throughout the upcoming lean season in the region. The current crisis will have immense ripple effects across the Zimbabwean population for years to come if measures are not immediately taken by relevant stakeholders. It is essential that the international community commit to supporting organizations, including the World Food Programme, in order to support Zimbabweans and to ensure that the food shortage crisis does not escalate further. A. Historical and political context 10. In the 1880s, Zimbabwe became a British colony, called Southern Rhodesia. In 1961, a constitution was formulated that favoured whites in power. In 1965, the Government unilaterally declared its independence, but the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country. Sanctions from the United Nations and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence, as Zimbabwe, in April 1980. Robert Mugabe became Prime Minister, then President in 1987, and remained the sole ruler of the country until the 2017 military coup and his subsequent resignation in November 2017. 11. From its independence until 2009, Zimbabwe was dominated by the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front. A strong showing by the opposition group Movement for Democratic Change in the 2008 general election led to the country’s first-ever coalition Government in 2009. That Government subsequently fell with the controversial 2013 elections, which were decided in favour of the Zimbabwe African National UnionPatriotic Front, still the ruling party to this day. 12. In 2017, the post-President Mugabe transition sparked celebrations in the streets and gave rise to hopes of recovery for an economy that was crippled during the Mugabe period. In 2018, the electoral commission of Zimbabwe declared that Emmerson Mnangagwa had been elected President with 50.8 per cent of the vote. B. Economic and financial situation 13. From 2000 to 2008 Zimbabwe experienced severe macroeconomic instability characterized by high inflation. Real gross domestic product (GDP) declined by more than 40 per cent and agricultural output shrank. 2 This resulted in a severe economic and social crisis, which led to food insecurity, with the country becoming a net food importer and a large proportion of the population relying on food aid. 14. The period 2009 to 2012 was marked by an economic rebound, with growth rates averaging 10 per cent per annum. However, after relative stabilization, economic growth 2 4 See Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, International Fund for Agricultural Development, United Nations Children’s Fund, World Food Programme and World Health Organization. The State of Food and Nutrition in the World: Safeguarding against Economic Slowdowns And Downturns (Rome, Food and Agricultural Organization, 2019).