New image imperative
THE of the new Zimbabwe Government’s holy global re-engagement crusade for a political, economic and social renaissance on the warm ashes of the vanquished, tired old dispensation is well documented for all to see.
What now remains to be done to engender a speedy economic revival is for this nation to mount a vigorous investment campaign abroad to woe foreign capital which is much needed to kick start an economic revival to move Zimbabwe into a brave new future.
Sweet-tongued rhetoric by our country’s foreign diplomatic missions may be all right as a teaser to potential investors.
However, it takes concrete proof of juicy investment potential for one, especially foreigners, to release their hard-earned cash for investment in what otherwise remains an uncertain destination.
Which calls for an investment research team, quasistate but preferably a stand-alone institution to sell local geo-infrastructure to potential foreign investors.
Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector is undeniably one area that should be vigorously touted to foreign investors. The buying power manifested in the sector by large numbers of Zimbabweans constantly trooping across our borders to neighbouring countries and hauling back home food products, clothing, foot wear and other consumer goods is ample testimony that foreign investment in that sector running concomitantly with the Buy-Zimbabwe campaign for instance, has potential for returning our tattered economy to an even keel.
A research body such as one suggested by this pen could also sell other lucrative investment areas in the country to potential foreign business entities that are not likely to drag their feet once concrete evidence of handsome dividends to be reaped by investing in our country is provided to them.
Today, Command Agriculture, Command livestock and Command fisheries are some of the areas that certainly have the potential for investment in equipment and food technologies, thereby creating employment and wealth for rural dwellers, what with the crying need for food security on the African continent, so that foreign capital spent in those areas stands to yield good rewards for the investor.
Zimbabwe is endowed with story gold, diamonds, platinum, chrome and various other minerals for the foreign investor to consider putting his money there for a rich harvest.
A Zimbabwean research institute portraying lucrative investment areas abroad through counterpart research bodies overseas as well as through our country’s foreign missions cannot, for instance, fail to counteract the negative effects brought to bear on this country’s economy by illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe to protest the land reform programme meant to give more Zimbabweans greater access to that vital asset over which many lives were lost during the freedom struggle in this country.
But, of course, it must sink in the minds of all Zimbabweans that investors do not just fritter their money anyway, just like that.
On the contrary corruption causes the flight of investment, for instance and so Zimbabweans must stand warned to protect the geese, or investment, which produces the much-needed golden eggs for this and other nations.
It therefore becomes imperative for all Zimbabweans to shun corruption, a scum that besmirches the image of any country that condones the evil practice in point.
It now behoves on all Zimbabweans to work indefatigably in weathering any bad investment weather so that, when all has been said and done, our country may beam a buoyant economic smile to the world.