The Sunday Mail
Golden Sibanda
Zimbabwe is targeting to take full advantage of global trade and investment showcase, Expo Dubai 2020, to reposition itself as premier investment destination offering unlimited opportunities when it partakes in the six months long exhibition.
At Expo Dubai, Zimbabwe will highlight progress on the reforms programme, its potential as an awakening economic giant, open for business policy and vast opportunities it offers.
This dovetails with Government’s Vision 2030 of an upper middle income country, whose development foundation is set out in the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP).At Expo Dubai, Zimbabwe will highlight progress on the reforms programme, its potential as an awakening economic giant, open for business policy and vast opportunities it offers.
Further, Zimbabwe’s participation at the expo ties in with President Mnangagwa’s re-engagement efforts and therefore buttresses progress already made thus far on that front.
The exhibition will showcase Zimbabwe’s jewels that include rich human capital, fertile agriculture land, beautiful and majestic tourism resorts, diverse minerals and other endowments, expected to woo foreign investments into the various sectors.
Investor interest in Zimbabwe, which realised average foreign investment of a measly US$400 million annually from 2009-2016, has grown considerably since President Mnangagwa’s rise to power with billions of investments already committed.
Expo Dubai 2020 is the first “World Expo” to be staged in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. Zimbabwe will be represented by the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) during the global exhibition set to run from October 2020 to April 2021.
Zimbabwe will be an official participant at the expo, after the country accepted the invitation extended by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and latter signed a participation contract.
The Southern African country will exhibit under the ‘‘Assisted Programme’’ developed by the UAE to support eligible developing nations, lower and middle-income countries.
As part of the ‘‘Assisted Programme’’, Zimbabwe has been allocated a fully fitted pavilion, built in the thematic districts for higher visibility, as economic relations between parties have scaled new heights since the new administration came into power.
The expo, which will run from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021, has been themed “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” which represents the potential of what can be achieved when meaningful collaborations and partnerships are forged.
“The Dubai 2020 Expo is an opportunity for Zimbabwe to celebrate the results of numerous reforms and re-engagement initiatives, such as the current public sector reforms, corporate governance and parastatal reforms and the ease of doing business,” the OPC said.
The initiatives are underpinned by Vision 2030, Transitional Stabilisation Plan (TSP), and the ‘‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business’’ drive, the OPC said in a statement.
Key objectives of Zimbabwe’s participation at Expo Dubai include promoting ‘‘Brand Zimbabwe’’ and unpacking the country’s Vision 2030, promoting trade and investment opportunities into the country and attracting more visitors to ‘‘Destination Zimbabwe’’.
Further, the exhibition will clarify Zimbabwe’s policies and processes, facilitate exhibition of Zimbabwe’s culture and heritage, top brands in goods and services, and technological innovations that have impacted the livelihoods of people, and will continue to do so in the future.
In addition, Expo Dubai accords Zimbabwe a chance to seek source markets and opportunities for technology transfer, tourism, investments and human capacity development.
The global exhibition is also an opportunity to showcase rich and diverse Zimbabwean human capital by showcasing some wholly Zimbabwean made solutions to global problems.
Lastly, the expo provides a platform for Zimbabwe to change the previously negative narrative about the southern African country into a strong positive narrative image.
Among the expected outcomes is that fact that the expo should facilitate global synergies with Zimbabwe, and ignite appetite for the global world to take up opportunities in Zimbabwe, partner the country in achieving its Vision 2030 of upper middle income country and creating sustainable opportunities for future generations.
Zimbabwe must also emerge as the destination of choice, country ready to do business, and with entrepreneurs ready to partner serious business people from across the world while there must be a significant surge in demand for Zimbabwean products, services and skills.
