Zimbabwe recently signed exclusive and
mega economic and investment deals with China and Russia and the economic
outlook for the country is not entirely all downhill and catastrophic. The EU
and Britain have been warming up to Zimbabwe and seeking to revive previously
strained relations with renewed optimism and readiness to support the
government's Zim-Asset economic blueprint. Following on from the recent Russian
business delegation to Zimbabwe the UK will be sending in an official trade
delegation to Zimbabwe. This is a welcome initiative from the British as this
will reconnect the two countries by building and rebuilding long-term mutually
respectful and mutually beneficial relationships. A transparent United Kingdom
is a perfect partner for fast opening Zimbabwean economy and connecting the UK’s
established and financial muscle and investment is a requisite part of
government’s economic blueprint to ensure and secure the necessary recovery.
The Zimbabwean government has remained open to all mutually beneficial economic
engagement. African companies, British companies, Chinese companies, Russian
companies, EU companies, American companies and all companies from across the
globe are encouraged and welcome to take up the vast investment opportunities
in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean government has thrown wide open the doors for
local, regional and international companies to benefit from the massive and
wide-ranging investment opportunities in Zimbabwe as set out under the premises
of the country’s Zim-Asset economic blueprint.
The tone and mutually respectful
presentation and entrance by the incoming British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms
Catriona Laing is a refreshing and positive sign of thawing relationships and a
step towards mutually beneficial engagement and celebration of genuine
reopening of top-level ties between the two countries. Ambassador Laing was optimistic
and shared the government of Zimbabwe’s vision about the robustness of the
Zim-Asset economic blueprint and had this to say ''We want to build on the very
good Zim-Asset economic blueprint that has been developed. We are encouraging
our investors to come here, there are many companies in the UK wanting to come
to Zimbabwe''. The government of Zimbabwe has made it clear that it is open for
business to all investors and the call by Ms Laing for British investors to
come to Zimbabwe must be lauded. The impending British Trade Delegation to
Zimbabwe just like all investment into the country is welcome and the theme of
mutually beneficial engagement will continue to prevail. Ms Catriona Laing’s
courteous and prudent entry into Zimbabwe deserves nothing short of a warm
welcome and hopefully will continue to engage as positively and respectfully as
she started.
The Russians recently clinched a £3
billion platinum deal and a number of companies from that country have been
exploring the extensive and diverse investment opportunities Zimbabwe has to
offer. The planned British trade delegation to Zimbabwe is clear indication
that Zimbabwe is indeed open for business and this is not just one-sided
business but benefit for the investor and benefit for the country. This is good
for those investing in the country and the communities that made up the
Zimbabwe whole. Zimbabwe is unique in the sense that the country possesses vast
mineral resources, agricultural resources, human resources and a sound
infrastructure. All these create limitless opportunities for the growth and
development of resource-based industrial ventures. With vast amounts of fertile
agricultural land, large varieties of commercially exploitable mineral
deposits, a highly educated and skilled workforce the potential for growth has
no bounds.
EU companies are ready to come into
Zimbabwe? To be honest that is GREAT for Zimbabwe, all investment is welcome
and the key is that this remains mutually beneficial business relationships
that will empower the communities and ensure the country’s path towards
economic transformation progresses. Coming back to the refreshing entry into
Zimbabwe by the new British Ambassador Ms Laing, the issue of the economic
sanctions against Zimbabwe always raises its ugly and illegitimate head and
dampens the ‘refreshing’. It is now common to hear some deny the existence of
economic sanctions against Zimbabwe yet Ms Laing had this to say ''The EU is
going to review the sanctions next year in February based on progress made by
Zimbabwe''. The ‘refreshing’ is dampened by the end bit where Ms Laing said ‘based
on the progress made by Zimbabwe’ and the reason being Zimbabwe has and
continues to make progress in working at empowering her citizens and
encouraging business into Zimbabwe. The issue of review of the economic
sanctions against Zimbabwe should be based on the illegality of the measures
and nothing else. All that being said that Ms Laing’s polished entry into
Zimbabwe remains refreshing until further notice. The Government of Zimbabwe
and the UK Conservative Government have always had the cordial relationship and
unfortunately that was damaged by the Labour Government of Tony Blair and Ms
Laing’s entry has the hallmark of the Zimbabwe-Conservative link from
yesteryear.
The emphasis by government of Zimbabwe
in ensuring that mining and resource-based companies set up refineries
throughout areas of mineral resource endowment is progressive and a sure way
towards industrialisation as this will add value to the mineral resource and
the country gets more returns. Value addition and Beneficiation are critical
for the country as a whole and the communities where mining activities take
place as it ensures that jobs stay within the communities and the country and
not shipped or exported together with the unprocessed resource away from these
communities who sit on these minerals and natural resources. Value addition and
Beneficiation will benefit both country and individual communities and that is
the only sure way towards real economic transformation and industrialisation.
No country has industrialised through exporting raw matte and raw everything.
Zimbabwe is on the right path towards genuine economic transformation.
The entry of Russian and Chinese large-scale
investment into Zimbabwe will spur the country’s economic transformation and
the revival of British companies’ interest in Zimbabwe will add value to the
existing.
bernardbwoni.blogspot.com
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