The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
The Brand Zimbabwe Campaign, which is set to be launched in Harare tomorrow, is designed to enhance the country’s domestic and international appeal to investors and tourists, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and improving the performance of the tourism industry are considered critical pillars in the quest for a prosperous society envisioned by Vision 2030.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa told a news conference on Friday that FDI and the tourism sector can only thrive through marketing the country’s image.
“The case for branding cannot be overemphasised. It is common cause that a strong and positive country brand, both domestically and internationally, will attract tourists, investors, students and other visitors to our country,” she said.
“We envisaged that this initiative and exercise will help our country to plan, brand and position itself in the minds of our citizens, international stakeholders and global customers.
“It is our fervent hope that at the end of it all, our country will be there to put ourselves on the map with a positive identity.”
The Brand Zimbabwe project, she said, dovetails with the Second Republic’s policy of engagement and re-engagement.
It also feeds into President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” mantra.
“Branding helps shape ourselves as a country. It reflects who we are and what we are aspiring to be and beyond,” she said.
“Zimbabwe is open for business. True to his mantra, His Excellency President Mnangagwa is going further with the development of this nation.
“He is committed to his mantra that no one and no place shall be left behind.”
Since the turn of the millennium, when Zimbabwe embarked on the Fast-Track Land Reform Programme, the Western media has been relentlessly demonising the country in order to cast it as a pariah.
“You must remember that our image suffered from the backlash of Western nations as they reacted with utter hostility to the implementation of the Land Reform Programme, resulting in a backlash from the international community, imposing illegal sanctions on our country, which caused a lot of pain on our people,” she said.
“This agenda of growing national prosperity requires a new identity as well as best methods in our national work style.”
Plans to launch the Brand Zimbabwe Campaign were mothballed for nearly two years on account of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Minister Mutsvangwa said she was happy the campaign is finally taking off.
“You recall that the whole world was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and Zimbabwe was not spared.
“This further delayed the start of the project as the nation mobilised energy and resources for saving lives under threat from this pandemic,” she added.
“I am happy as a bearer of the good news that the initiative has been revived and preparations for the launch are actually progressing very well.”
Government ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Commissioners, members of the Council of Chiefs, the Judiciary, parastatal boards and management, the business community, heads of industry and commerce, leaders of religious organisations, tourism associations, vice chancellors from universities, youth leaders, representatives of political parties in Zimbabwe and senior Government officials will attend the launch at Celebration Centre in the capital.
