Maun (New Ziana) – The Zimbabwe government will remain resolute on its economic, political and legislative reform agenda which it is pursuing in order to turn around the country’s economic fortunes, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Thursday.
Since assuming office in 2017, President Mnangagwa’s government has embarked on a vigorous reform agenda, which is mainly focused on improving the country’s investment climate and re-integrating Zimbabwe into the global family of nations following decades of isolation.
As part of the reform agenda, Zimbabwe has also sought to increase investment inflows, by for example, scrapping the indigenisation law, setting up the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency and investing in a country re-branding and marketing drive through the ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’ mantra.
To add impetus to the investment agenda, Cabinet last year approved a National Investment Policy which outlines the country’s strategic investment options.
Speaking at a welcome reception held in his honour by Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, President Mnangagwa said the reforms being pursued by the government were a step in the right direction and would produce desired results.
“My Government is determined to stay the course which we have begun towards economic recovery and growth. We therefore continue to improve our country`s macroeconomic environment through an accelerated implementation of a raft of economic, political and legislative reforms,” he said.
“We are convinced that an economically prosperous, peaceful and united Zimbabwe is good for our people and all our neighbours in SADC and the continent as a whole.”
President Mnangagwa said sanctions remained a huge burden on the country and were negatively impacting its reform agenda.
“Sadly, we remain burdened by the Western imposed illegal sanctions which continue to weigh heavily against our development efforts. However, we have resolved not to bury our heads in the sand but to accelerate our development, in line with our national vision 2030, as well as the aspirations of the SDGs Agenda 2030 and the AU Agenda 2063. With friends such as Botswana and others who continue to stand with us during difficult times, no challenges are insurmountable,” he said.
Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa said the second session of the Zimbabwe-Botswana Bi-National Commission provided an opportunity to reaffirm fraternal bonds.
“This also enables us to pursue more ways of enhancing trade and economic cooperation between our two countries for the benefit of our respective peoples. It is pleasing that following the inaugural session of our Bi-National Commission held in Harare in February 2019, a business forum was convened between our private sectors on the sidelines of the 2019 edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo. I commend the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) for its ongoing engagements with their Zimbabwe counterparts ZimTrade.”
He added; “I am optimistic that such relations will yield tangible results and increased trade volumes between our two economies, leveraging on our respective resource endowments and comparative advantages.”
New Ziana