Staff Reporter
Malawian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Ms Anne Yauka Kumwenda has highlighted that countries in the SADC region will fully support Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, as they also benefit from the vision, which she said had inspired most African countries and beyond.
Speaking at the inaugural Zimbabwe Diplomatic Forum held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fare (ZITF) last week, the Ambassador said other nations had a lot to learn from ZITF especially with regards to regional trade and bilateral relations.
“Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 is not just a journey for Zimbabwe alone, we will join you, we will walk together with you, we will walk side by side with you because in a family, when one walks twenty steps ahead and the other twenty steps behind, it is easy for the one who is ahead to pull the other.
“Zimbabwe should get it from its brothers and sisters in the SADC family, the African region and beyond that as it walks in this 2030 journey, we are together,” she said.
Ambassador Kumwenda said regional countries took part in the ZITF because they sought business and investment opportunities. She added that diplomats had a responsibility in their host countries, to promote trade and bilateral ties between the nations and other partners.
“l have learnt that ZITF has the capacity to build and promote Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), even large businesses not just for Zimbabwe local industry, but also for the region and beyond. Each year we come here, we see the promising and best practices for the SMEs and we have copied a lot from ZANU-PF Government in terms of SMEs packaging,” she added.
Ambassador Kumwenda applauded the ZITF management for hosting a successful ZITF amidst COVID-19 restrictions and for hosting the Diplomatic Community Forum as it seeks to strengthen the bilateral business relationships for the betterment of nations.
The Zimbabwe Diplomatic Forum was hosted by the Zimbabwe Development Agency (ZIDA) in conjunction with ZITF Company to outline the reforms and reinforced the message on the changes that had taken place on the investment landscape in Zimbabwe.
Eight countries and more than 390 local direct exhibitors participated at this year’s ZITF, which ran under the theme “Showcasing the New Normal for Business and Industry, Realities and Opportunities”.
The successful hosting of the ZITF is a milestone achievement for Zimbabwe, coming at a time when the country has just re-opened its economy and is gearing towards a post COVID-19 recovery.
