Business forum to clinch trade deals: VP Chiwenga
BUSINESSES from Belarus are encouraged to invest in Zimbabwe to cement existing good political relations between the two countries, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said yesterday during a business forum held just ahead of a three-day State visit to Zimbabwe by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
VP Chiwenga expressed optimism that visits by government officials and business executives from Belarus will result in business deals.
“Today’s theme dovetails very well with our Government’s thrust on economic diplomacy and buttresses the mantra that ‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business’. Your historic visit to Zimbabwe is a clear testimony of our mutual commitment to further strengthen our economic relations.
“It is my sincere hope that the business-to-business forum and the subsequent visits to local industries will culminate in trade and investment agreements for the mutual benefit of both countries. I am excited that several memoranda of understanding will be signed between chambers and between companies,” he said.
The business forum is running under the theme: “Expanding horizons: dynamic solutions for economic development.”
First Belarusian Prime Minister Petr Parkhomchyk is leading the business delegation from his country which covers a wide spectrum of sectors.
VP Chiwenga said Zimbabwe boasts trade and investment opportunities in agriculture, mining, tourism, energy, transport and education among others.
“I therefore exhort Belarus companies to consider investing in these sectors. Zimbabwe has prioritised the Ease of Doing Business as a flagship policy to attain its vision of becoming a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society by 2030. Our Investment and Development Authority (ZIDA) is implementing the one-stop shop concept to expedite the processing of investments.
“Today, I am also pleased to say that there are Belarusian companies which have expressed their interest in investing in the manufacturing sector in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is a member of the African Continental Free Trade Area which presents an opportunity to access a broader continental market of more than 1,3 billion people,” he said.
Bilateral relations between the two countries had grown from strength-to-strength, with high-level exchange visits undertaken over the years.
VP Chiwenga said the business forum provided a conducive platform to engage and exchange knowledge, experiences as well as informing each other about trade and investment opportunities in the two countries.
“I am confident that the resultant cross-pollination of ideas, sharing of experiences and good practices will unlock our potential leveraging on our rich natural resource endowments,” he said. - New Ziana.