Antony Chawagarira
NEW YORK – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has intensified Zimbabwe’s efforts to attract international capital by hosting potential investors at a business dinner on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
According to the Presidential Communications Department’s Twitter handle, the engagement brought together 35 senior investors as Zimbabwe sought to strengthen connections with global capital and create business networks to support economic growth.
Marc Holtzman, Chairman of the Victoria Falls International Financial Centre, said the country’s ongoing economic reforms were generating renewed interest in its investment opportunities, with half of the investors attending the dinner exploring Zimbabwe’s prospects for the first time.
Speaking after the business dinner, Holtzman said President Mnangagwa’s presentation at the Business Forum generated strong interest in ongoing reforms in the mining, services, banking, and monetary sectors.
“The business opportunities are amazing. This is Africa’s century, and within Africa, it is Zimbabwe’s time,” he said.
Holtzman said reforms in mining, monetary policy, and efforts to stabilise the currency were among the developments attracting renewed attention from American, European, and other international investors.
He said the engagements were also helping to change perceptions about Zimbabwe’s investment environment, as the country continued to open up opportunities for global capital.
President Mnangagwa arrived in New York ahead of the General Debate of the 81st UN General Assembly, which runs from September 22 to 28 under the theme: “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All.”
During the High-Level Week, the President is expected to participate in the General Debate and hold high-level meetings and bilateral engagements focused on international, regional, and national interests.
The business dinner is part of Zimbabwe’s broader diplomatic and economic engagement efforts to mobilise investment, expand international partnerships, and support the country’s development agenda.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Communications Department reports that Zimbabwe is intensifying efforts to attract foreign investment through strategic international engagements, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa using a business forum in New York to showcase opportunities under the country’s Open-for-Business Policy.
Addressing potential investors on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe’s strategic location, skilled workforce, and abundant natural resources position the country as a destination for investment across various sectors.
The Zimbabwe Business Forum, held under the theme “Global Challenges, Zimbabwean Solutions. Shared Prosperity,” brought together investors and key institutions responsible for promoting investment, trade, and tourism.
These included the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA), ZimTrade, and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.
President Mnangagwa said the Second Republic had prioritised creating an investment environment where capital is protected, and investors receive seamless aftercare and fair, equitable, and non-racial treatment.
He identified mining, agriculture, tourism, energy, and aviation as sectors offering significant opportunities for investors seeking to establish or expand operations in Zimbabwe.
The President also highlighted the country’s economic growth and called on potential investors to explore opportunities arising from ongoing economic transformation.
“Come and experience the magic of Zimbabwe,” President Mnangagwa said, assuring investors of the government’s readiness to facilitate and support their ventures.
The New York engagement comes as Zimbabwe continues to pursue international partnerships and attract investment inflows to support economic growth, job creation, and the expansion of productive sectors.
Through platforms such as the business forum, the government is seeking to connect Zimbabwean opportunities with international capital while strengthening the country’s participation in global trade and investment networks.
