烟草在线据《新津巴布韦》报道编译　　按销量算，世界第二大烟草公司英美烟草（BAT）上周四（1月23日）表示，它不打算离开，或从津巴布韦撤资。

　　该公司在过去几年一直被津巴布韦总统罗伯特·穆加贝攻击，也在符合该国本地化法律方面承受了巨大的压力，该公司表示它致力于增加津巴布韦主要出口作物的价值。

　　英美烟草津巴布韦公司的总经理洛夫莫尔马·曼塔斯（Lovemore Manatsa），说：“我们公司在向前做计划。因此，2014年，我们将像过去100多年所做的那样，继续坚定地专注于津巴布韦最有价值的农业商品——烟草的附加值。”

　　在津巴布韦证券交易所（ZSE）上市的英美烟草津巴布韦公司，56.95%的股权由总部位于伦敦的英美烟草国际公司所有，其他主要股东包括英国耆卫保险公司（Old Mutual）等，该公司占有19.1%的股权。

　　不过，当局表示，该公司只有6.22%的股权本地化，这就迫使管理层想出一个计划，以符合要求外国公司在津巴布韦的业务至少51%的所有权和控制权本地化的赋权法律。

　　根据其计划，英美烟草公司说，到2013年10月，它必须满足36%的股权本地化，2014年10月达到46%，2015年10月达到51%。

　　该公司表示，它还将向员工持股信托（ESOT）捐出占已发行股本10%的股份，作为合规计划的一部分。

　　“我们非常自豪我们对我们的员工以及这个国家的承诺。赋权一直存在于我们做生意的方式中，”该公司在周四（1月23日）的一份声明中表示。

　　“英美烟草津巴布韦公司的员工持股信托和烟草赋权信托，证明了我们在烟草业和这个国家的可持续发展上的投资。”

　　“我们非常重视在正式和非正式部门的贸易伙伴，他们对津巴布韦经济的增长和我们业务的成功表现作出了重要贡献。”

　　“在关于如何吸引和留住对我们制造业和这个国家的投资的民族对话中，英美烟草津巴布韦公司渴望成为一个建设性的合作伙伴和企业公民。”

　　“我们相信我们在津巴布韦有强大的业务，因为我们坚持高标准的商业行为，这是被我们所有的利益相关者认可的。”

评论：

　　在津巴布韦，包括农业、交通运输、零售和批发、房地产租赁、广告等许多行业几乎都是被外国人所垄断的，而当地人只能沿街或在路边摆摊，他们对此十分恼火，不断游说政府部门采取措施。本地化法律正是津巴布韦政府保护当地人的一项重要决定，外资企业不得不进行股权转让，最终使当地股份占51%以上。这种强制性的本地化进程，很显然会损害外资企业的利益，迫使他们出让自己的对企业的所有权和控制权，但是这个市场仍是有利可图的，并且可以协助当地政府解决国民经济的困境，保持该国政治经济环境的稳定，这对于企业本身的长久发展也是有利的。因此，英美烟草的做法是明智的。

British American Tobacco Says Not Exiting Zimbabwe

　　THE world's second largest tobacco firm by sales, British American Tobacco (BAT, said Thursday it does not plan to leave or divest from Zimbabwe.

　　The company, which has over the last couple of years been attacked by President Robert Mugabe and also come under pressure over compliance with the country's indigenisation laws, said it was committed to value addition of Zimbabwe's major export crop.

　　"Our company plans forwards. As such, in 2014, as we have done for over 100 years, we remain firmly focused on value-addition to Zimbabwe's most valuable agricultural commodity - Tobacco," said Lovemore Manatsa, Managing Director of BAT Zimbabwe

　　Listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE), BAT Zimbabwe is 56.95% owned by London-based BAT International with other major shareholders including Old Mutual which has a 19.1% stake.

　　However, authorities said the firm was only 6.22% indigenized, compelling management to come up with a plan to comply with empowerment laws that require foreign companies to localise ownership and control of at least 51 percent of their Zimbabwe operations.

　　Under its plan, BAT said it would have to meet 36% indigenous status by October 2013, 46% by October 2014 and 51% by October 2015.

　　The company said it would also donate shares representing 10 percent of its issued share capital to an employee share ownership trust (ESOT) as part of the compliance plan.

　　"We are incredibly proud of our commitment to our people and the country at large. Empowerment is entrenched within the way we do business," the company said in a statement Thursday.

　　"The BAT Zimbabwe Employee Share Ownership Trust and Tobacco Empowerment Trust evidence our investment in the sustainable development of our industry and country.

　　"We value all our trade partners in the formal and informal sector who have contributed so significantly to the growth of Zimbabwe's economy and the successful performance of our business.

　　"BAT Zimbabwe aspires to be a constructive partner and corporate citizen in the national dialogue on how to attract and retain investment in our manufacturing sector and country.

　　"We believe we have a strong business in Zimbabwe because we uphold high standards of business conduct and this is recognised by all of our stakeholders." Enditem