In a speech read on his behalf by Vice President
Constantino Chiwenga during the official opening of the third Zimbabwe-Belarus
Business Forum that was held in Harare, President Mnangagwa said the Forum
represented a significant moment in the two countries’ ongoing efforts to
strengthen economic ties and foster mutually beneficial partnerships in line
with Zimbabwe’s ongoing engagement and re-engagement agenda.
The Forum was held under the theme: “Building Stronger
Partnerships: Harnessing a Shared Vision for a Sustainable Future”, with two
Memoranda of Understanding signed for the joint manufacture of buses and supply
of fire-fighting equipment to the City Mutare.
The Belarus delegation, which includes players drawn from
the country’s light and heavy industries, is led by its Deputy Minister of
Industry, Dmitry Harintochik.
In his remarks, President Mnangagwa said the country’s
abundant and diverse natural resource base, including its youthful and
productive population, as well as strategic location in the Southern African
region, essentially presents Zimbabwe as a profitable investment destination.
“I call upon Belarusian businesses to tap into these
existing opportunities whilst we seek to benefit from your expertise in the
area of technology and innovation for the mutual benefit of our two countries
and peoples,” he said.
The President said guided by the country’s Vision 2030 to
become an empowered and prosperous upper middle-income society, Government was
accelerating the implementation of bold and robust economic reforms, deepening
an environment conducive to investment and business growth.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga (centre) applauds while
AVM managing director Jacob Kupa (right) exchanges documents with Minsk
Automobile Plant deputy director Sergei Stiulyak after signing an MoU during
the Zimbabwe-Belarus Business Forum in Harare yesterday. – Picture: Innocent
Makawa.
“Zimbabwe is, therefore, ready to welcome and facilitate
more investors from Belarus in various sectors, including agriculture, mining,
manufacturing and infrastructure development. Strong and sustainable
partnerships in these areas will go a long way in improving the quality of life
for our people while helping to modernise and industrialise our two economies,”
President Mnangagwa said.
He said high level visits will continue to be exchanged
between the two nations to deepen bilateral relations.
Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko conducted a State
Visit to Zimbabwe in January last year in a reciprocal visit after President
Mnangagwa visited the Eurasian nation in 2019.
During President Lukashenko’s visit, various Treaties and
Memoranda of Understanding were signed such as the Bilateral Investment Treaty
between Zimbabwe and Belarus, among others.
President Mnangagwa exhorted Belarus and Zimbabwe to take
advantage of existing agreements which proffer preferential market access and
trade opportunities to both countries.
“I expect that discussions at this Zimbabwe-Belarus Forum
will broaden our efforts and horizons beyond fostering business engagements and
cooperation, but to increase trading, innovation, technology development and
knowledge transfer,” he said.
The President commended the signing of the MoU for the
manufacture of buses between AVM Africa and Minsk Automotive and implored other
business entities to emulate such developments and be facilitated to develop
greater synergies and collaborations.
“With regards to developments taking place at the
continental level, our Belarusian counterparts are invited to note that there
is no other time to invest in Zimbabwe than now. We are a competitive
jurisdiction and part of the enlarged single African market of over one billion
people through the African Continental Free Trade Area.
“In the same vein, I urge Zimbabwean companies to take
advantage of relations with Belarus to penetrate the Eurasia region and
emerging markets,” he said.
The President said the Forum was a building block and a
significant step towards strengthening their unshakeable bilateral relations.
In his remarks and speaking through an interpreter, Deputy
Minister Harintochik commended the country’s economic growth prospects.
“We know that Zimbabwe is one of the brightest African
countries nowadays which is showing significant growth of its economy.
“You would want to know that the Republic of Zimbabwe,
during the recent years, has most of our joint projects successfully
implemented,” he said.
Deputy Minister Harintochik said regular visits of
officials from the two countries, including at the highest level, contributes
to the improvement of confidence between the two nations.
Belarus has supplied tractors, combine harvesters and other
farming implements to Zimbabwe and Deputy Minister Harintochik expressed
satisfaction with the manner they had been received by local farmers.
“It’s our pleasure to know how our tractors and agriculture
machinery are being highly rated by the customers and I am confident the
agriculture machinery will continue to be in demand in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Deputy Minister Harintochik reiterated his country’s
commitment to fulfil the various agreements they have with Zimbabwe.
“There is a plan that we will construct new grain storage
facilities and refurbish existing ones. Honourable Vice President, let me
assure you that we are ready to fulfil all our agreements,” he said.
Industry and Commerce Minister Sithembiso Nyoni said the
historic visits to each other’s countries by President Mnangagwa and President
Lukashenko served as a basis for the cordial bilateral relations between the
two countries.
“The results of these historic visits have given impetus to
the development of a whole range of friendly bilateral relations between the
Republic of Zimbabwe and the Republic of Belarus and have laid the foundation
for this collaboration we are having today (yesterday),” she said.
The minister said during her recent visit to Belarus, the
two ministries responsible for industry had agreed to work together for mutual
benefit.
“Our agreed minutes paved a way to discuss joint ventures
and skills development for institutions, for our light industries and citizens
of both countries as well as employment creation.
“These agreed minutes are going to lead us to make a
concrete MoU that will guide our working together. We are going to jointly
develop industrial and technical cooperation including science and research,
development of light industries and skills development in the areas of
industrial inspections and certification of our products,” she said.
Meanwhile, VP Chiwenga yesterday commissioned a bus with a
carrying capacity of 120 developed jointly by AVM Africa and Minsk Automobile.
The two entities later signed an MoU for the manufacture of
buses in Zimbabwe using Belarus technology that will see the production of
about 50 buses monthly and will also benefit around 92 local companies in the
value chain.
The MoU was signed by AVM Chief Executive Officer Mr Jacob
Kupa and Minsk Automobile Deputy Director Mr Sergei Shulyak.
City of Mutare Acting Town Clerk Mr Blessing Chafesuka and
AFTRADE Director Ms Olga Shevko signed the MoU for the supply of fire-fighting
equipment. Herald
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