$500bn required to spruce up foreign embassies

ABOUT $500 billion is required to spruce up Zimbabwe’s embassy buildings around the world, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has said.

The money is also needed to carry out construction projects, as well as purchase properties at various missions, starting next year to give further impetus to the engagement and re-engagement drive.

In a recent presentation at Parliament’s 2024 pre-budget seminar, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Frederick Shava said: “Overall, all budget items were underfunded by 46 percent . . . and it is my ministry’s appeal to Treasury to consider our proposal for additional funding. The allocated budget of $53,7 billion will only be adequate to cater for construction works in Abuja, Nigeria.

“The ministry requires a total $499,2 billion in order to carry out construction projects, as well as purchase properties at various missions.”

Some of the capital projects the ministry is proposing are renovations of buildings in Pretoria, London, Maputo, Berlin, Paris and Gaborone, while construction is earmarked for Abuja, New York, Lusaka, Dodoma and Gaborone.

Zimbabwe also seeks to purchase properties in Abu Dhabi, Brasilia, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Cairo and Gaborone.

“We are also anticipating entering into public-private partnerships with Windhoek, London, New York and Geneva,” said Ambassador Shava.

This year alone, the ministry has managed to refurbish at least 11 properties in South Africa, Mozambique, the United States and Kenya despite a constrained budget.