Zimbabwe: Open for Business

International Support for ZIMASSET Economic Blueprint Growing

By Bernard Bwoni

Zimbabwe recently signed exclusive and mega economic and investment deals with China and Russia and the economic outlook for the country is not entirely all downhill and catastrophic. The EU and Britain have been warming up to Zimbabwe and seeking to revive previously strained relations with renewed optimism and readiness to support the government's Zim-Asset economic blueprint. 

Following on from the recent Russian business delegation to Zimbabwe the UK will be sending in an official trade delegation to Zimbabwe. This is a welcome initiative from the British as this will reconnect the two countries by building and rebuilding long-term mutually respectful and mutually beneficial relationships. A transparent United Kingdom is a perfect partner for fast opening Zimbabwean economy and connecting the UK’s established and financial muscle and investment is a requisite part of government’s economic blueprint to ensure and secure the necessary recovery. 


The Zimbabwean government has remained open to all mutually beneficial economic engagement. African companies, British companies, Chinese companies, Russian companies, EU companies, American companies and all companies from across the globe are encouraged and welcome to take up the vast investment opportunities in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean government has thrown wide open the doors for local, regional and international companies to benefit from the massive and wide-ranging investment opportunities in Zimbabwe as set out under the premises of the country’s Zim-Asset economic blueprint.

Business deals have been signed with China

The tone and mutually respectful presentation and entrance by the incoming British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Catriona Laing is a refreshing and positive sign of thawing relationships and a step towards mutually beneficial engagement and celebration of genuine reopening of top-level ties between the two countries. Ambassador Laing was optimistic and shared the government of Zimbabwe’s vision about the robustness of the Zim-Asset economic blueprint and had this to say: 

''We want to build on the very good Zim-Asset economic blueprint that has been developed. We are encouraging our investors to come here, there are many companies in the UK wanting to come to Zimbabwe''. 

The government of Zimbabwe has made it clear that it is open for business to all investors and the call by Ms Laing for British investors to come to Zimbabwe must be lauded. The impending British Trade Delegation to Zimbabwe just like all investment into the country is welcome and the theme of mutually beneficial engagement will continue to prevail. Ms Catriona Laing’s courteous and prudent entry into Zimbabwe deserves nothing short of a warm welcome and hopefully will continue to engage as positively and respectfully as she started.

Russia has joined the scramble to invest in the mining sector in Zimbabwe

The Russians recently clinched a £3 billion platinum deal and a number of companies from that country have been exploring the extensive and diverse investment opportunities Zimbabwe has to offer. The planned British trade delegation to Zimbabwe is clear indication that Zimbabwe is indeed open for business and this is not just one-sided business but benefit for the investor and benefit for the country. This is good for those investing in the country and the communities that made up the Zimbabwe whole.

Zimbabwe is unique in the sense that the country possesses vast mineral resources, agricultural resources, human resources and a sound infrastructure. All these create limitless opportunities for the growth and development of resource-based industrial ventures. With vast amounts of fertile agricultural land, large varieties of commercially exploitable mineral deposits, a highly educated and skilled workforce the potential for growth has no bounds. 

The Government of Zimbabwe values foreign direct investment and actively encourages investors to participate in manufacturing, mining and infrastructure development where there are unlimited opportunities and joint ventures with local investors are also encouraged. The visiting British Trade Delegation to Zimbabwe will see for themselves one of the most developed infrastructures in Sub-Saharan Africa comprising road and rail networks, power generation, telecommunications and distribution networks. Although there is an urgent need to restore and modernise plant and equipment to restore capacity Zimbabwe does possess a solid and complex base which just requires an injection of capital and will see the country take off.

EU companies are ready to come into Zimbabwe? To be honest that is GREAT for Zimbabwe, all investment is welcome and the key is that this remains mutually beneficial business relationships that will empower the communities and ensure the country’s path towards economic transformation progresses. Coming back to the refreshing entry into Zimbabwe by the new British Ambassador Ms Laing, the issue of the economic sanctions against Zimbabwe always raises its ugly and illegitimate head and dampens the ‘refreshing’. 

It is now common to hear some deny the existence of economic sanctions

"The EU is going to review the sanctions next year", said Ms Lang.
Strangely some people believe there are no sanctions against Zimbabwe

against Zimbabwe yet Ms Laing had this to say ''The EU is going to review the sanctions next year in February based on progress made by Zimbabwe''. The ‘refreshing’ is dampened by the end bit where Ms Laing said ‘based on the progress made by Zimbabwe’ and the reason being Zimbabwe has and continues to make progress in working at empowering her citizens and encouraging business into Zimbabwe. The issue of review of the economic sanctions against Zimbabwe should be based on the illegality of the measures and nothing else. 

All that being said that Ms Laing’s polished entry into Zimbabwe remains refreshing until further notice. The Government of Zimbabwe and the UK Conservative Government have always had the cordial relationship and unfortunately that was damaged by the Labour Government of Tony Blair and Ms Laing’s entry has the hallmark of the Zimbabwe-Conservative link from yesteryear.

Mineral rich : Zimbabwe is blessed with an abundance
of a variety of minerals

The emphasis by government of Zimbabwe in ensuring that mining and resource-based companies set up refineries throughout areas of mineral resource endowment is progressive and a sure way towards industrialisation as this will add value to the mineral resource and the country gets more returns. Value addition and Beneficiation are critical for the country as a whole and the communities where mining activities take place as it ensures that jobs stay within the communities and the country and not shipped or exported together with the unprocessed resource away from these communities who sit on these minerals and natural resources. Value addition and Beneficiation will benefit both country and individual communities and that is the only sure way towards real economic transformation and industrialisation. No country has industrialised through exporting raw matte and raw everything. Zimbabwe is on the right path towards genuine economic transformation.

The entry of Russian and Chinese large-scale investment into Zimbabwe will spur the country’s economic  transformation and the revival of British companies’ interest in Zimbabwe will add value to the existing.

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Bernard Bwoni is the ZANU PF UK Deputy Secretary for Admin. 

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