ZIMBABWEANS living in the diaspora have a role to play in
rebuilding the country’s economy, President Mnangagwa has said.
The President said it was every Zimbabwean’s responsibility
to contribute towards economic recovery. He said this yesterday while addressing
Zimbabweans working and living in Namibia.
President Mnangagwa is in Namibia on three-day State visit
which ends today. “The rebuilding, growth and prosperity of our country is
everyone’s responsibility, both home and abroad. We are one people with a
shared destiny in our country,” he said.
The President added that as the country’s economy mends, he
was looking forward to seeing some Zimbabweans returning home to help develop
the country.
“I look forward as our economy recovers to possibly some of
you who have acquired skills or have been exposed to skills outside Zimbabwe to
think of coming back home to contribute to the task of growing and modernising
our country.
“Zimbabwe is for all of us, no one should be left behind,”
said President Mnangagwa.
The President implored Zimbabweans living in the diaspora
to invest back home.
Today President Mnangangwa is expected to inaugurate
Zimbabwe’s Dry Port Facility at Walvis Bay.
He said the facility provides vast investment opportunities
for Zimbabweans living in Namibia and in other countries.
The President also encouraged Zimbabweans living in Namibia
to take full advantage of several bilateral agreements signed between Zimbabwe
and Windhoek.
Zimbabwe and Namibia yesterday signed seven bilateral
agreements aimed at boosting economic cooperation between the two countries.
“I therefore call on you brothers and sisters in the
diaspora to be good ambassadors of our beautiful country and invest back home.
“We urge you to take advantage of the opportunities that
arise from these agreements, to cut business and trade niches for the benefit
of your motherland.
“Tomorrow I will also have an occasion to officially
inaugurate the Zimbabwe Dry Port Facility and Walvis Bay which should help in
the movement of imports and exports from our country and to our country.
“I urge you to initiate new business models that take
advantage of the new dry port facility,” he said.
President Mnangagwa also took the opportunity to apprise
Zimbabweans living in Namibia about developments taking place back home.
He said while the country was facing a some challenges, a
number of initiatives were in place to steer the country to prosperity.
President Mnangagwa expressed confidence that the country’s
reform efforts were in the right trajectory.
“We are meeting almost a year since our country held it harmonised
general elections in July 2018.
“The elections came and are now behind us. Since then my
admin has been focused on improving the plight of all Zimbabweans, the plight
of our collapsed economy.
“At the centre of these initiatives is our multi-thronged
reform agenda to turn around the economic fortunes of our country. Guided by
our vision to become an upper middle class economy by 2030,” he said.
Some of the reforms highlighted by President Mnangagwa
include the ease of doing business, public sector reforms, monetary reforms,
fighting corruption and strengthen all institutions.
He said Government was providing safety nets to most
vulnerable communities in the country, in the wake of climate change-induced
drought and economic challenges being faced in the country.
“Some parts of the country are presently facing food
insecurity, however, my Government has put in place measures to avail food
relief and water to affected communities back home.
“During this transition and austerity measures, which we
have decided to take in our country, we need safety nets to be introduced to
look after sections of our population are hit more than others in relation to
the supply and availability and access to basic needs,” he said.
Turning to the mining sector, President Mnangagwa said
efforts to attain a $20 billion mining sector by 2030 were on course.
“With regards the mining sector, intensification of mining
productivity with a vision to transform our mining sector to become a $20
billion industry by 2023 is on course.
“We continue to receive investment in a broad array of
minerals. Invictus, an Australian company in gas and oil exploration, is
achieving positive results in Muzarabani.
“As a result of my visit to Russia, the biggest world
diamond company Alrosa has come to Zimbabwe to engage in diamond mining in our
country after the introduction of a new diamond policy in Zimbabwe.
“We also have Karo Resources who have to engage in platinum
exploitation,” he said.
President Mnangagwa also fielded questions from Zimbabweans
living in the diaspora who raised an array of issues, some of which the
President committed to address. Herald
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