by Rudo Saungweme
The 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) kick started on a high note with President Emmerson Mnangagwa attracting not only the international media, but also several potential international investors as he preaches the popular Zimbabwe is open for business mantra.
In an interview with Bloomberg at UNGA, President Mnangagwa said that the Second Republic would show the world that it is indeed a new Zimbabwe. He indicated that the new Administration was doing whatever it takes to remove the misconception that the world had about Zimbabwe for the past two decades. President Mnangagwa highlighted that this was being achieved through opening up the country’s economic space and impressing the global community.
“The new administration is coming up with reforms that may seem to be difficult for the Zimbabweans, but will be beneficial in the long run. The new administration has removed the Indigenisation Act in the mining sector (except for platinum and diamonds) to attract the international investors who are willing to invest in Zimbabwe,” he said.
President Mnangagwa assured the global community that the economic reforms would boost the country’s economic perception.
Over the past two decades Zimbabwe has been operating in isolation. However, the coming in of the new dispensation saw President Mnangagwa travelling around the world to engage and re-engage potential investors. Speaking in an interview the Chinese state run news outlet, Xinhua during his first visit to China in April this year, President Mnangagwa said that Zimbabwe was lagging behind other countries in terms of economic development.
“The issue is not only about attracting capital into Zimbabwe. It’s an issue of leapfrogging after 18 years of isolation so that we catch up with the rest of the developing countries,” he said.
