Air Zimbabwe has bought two new passenger planes, reportedly from a French aeronautical group called EADS. Close to a dozen Air Zimbabwe pilots agreed to undergo training on using the new aircraft in Spain two weeks ago. Other training sessions have apparently also been conducted in Germany and France.

But the deal has already been criticised for bypassing the national treasury, which critics say is clear attempt to undermine the MDC-T led Finance Ministry. The deal also appears to bypass the European Union (EU) targeted sanctions in place against Robert Mugabe and his cronies.

The deal, said to be worth an estimated US$500 million, has been bankrolled by the Mbada Diamonds mining firm, based at controversial Chiadzwa alluvial diamond fields. The firm is a joint venture with the state owned Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC), and is chaired by a known Robert Mugabe ally, Robert Mhlanga. Both Mhlanga and the ZMDC are on the EU’s targeted sanctions list, and a direct consumer relationship with French companies is meant to be strictly prohibited under these measures.

SW Radio Africa is yet to receive any response from EADS about its involvement in the deal. But sources quoted by some news groups suggest that a third party, said to be an Asian country, has been involved in securing the deal on Zimbabwe’s behalf. This would indicate a clear ‘sanctions-busting’ plan.

Political analyst Professor John Makumbe told SW Radio Africa on Wednesday that Mbada’s involvement in the deal already shows that “there is political interference and they are acting on behalf of ZANU PF.” He also agreed that either China or Malaysia, as known Mugabe allies, are likely to be the third party alluded to by other sources.

“This is clear sanctions busting,” Makumbe said, adding: “If China, for example, is involved then they are putting their EU relations at risk by contravening the sanctions.”

He also explained that the supplier of the airplanes now needs to clearly state their involvement, and the details of the deal, to ensure they are not contravening the targeted sanctions.

“Lots of questions need to be answered now. We need to find out if the planes are being leased, for example, and then it needs to be explained if leasing is not included in the restrictions,” Makumbe said.

He added: “If China is facilitating this deal, they will likely argue that it is business as usual because they don’t have sanctions on Mugabe. But they will be jeopardising their relations with the EU if they have bypassed those sanctions in this way.”