WEEKLY NEWS ROUND-UP

Monday

Churches play an important role in accelerating national development and should inculcate values and work ethics that drive production, President Mnangagwa has said.

He was addressing the Zion Christian Church’s annual Easter Passover Festival in Masvingo on Sunday.

Tuesday Zimbabweans must take good care of the country’s natural resources such as gold, platinum, diamonds, lithium and the land, all of which were given by God, President Mnangagwa has said.

Speaking at the Zion Christian Church’s annual Easter Passover Festival at Mbungo Estate in Bikita, Masvingo province, on Sunday, the President said there was need to continue working hard to feed the nation, modernise, industrialise and grow the economy to lift people out of poverty and into prosperity.

Wednesday

Victoria Falls is moving closer to becoming a smart tourism and green destination, with plans to construct a renewable energy exhibition park and a 500-megawatt solar plant now at an advanced stage.

Southpole Consulting, an international firm that was given Special Economic Zone status by the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency, is implementing the project.

Thursday

President Mnangagwa has declared a state of disaster after the El Niño-induced drought that has hit Zimbabwe’s 2023/2024 summer cropping season, stating that Zimbabwe needs at least US$2 billion to mitigate the fallout from the drought.

Making the declaration at State House on Wednesday, the President said this would allow comprehensive efforts to mobilise resources.

Friday

Zimbabwe has 2,5 tonnes of gold and US$300 million in cash reserves, placing it in good stead to introduce a new structured currency Of the gold, 1,5 tonnes is held in the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe vaults, while one tonne is held offshore.