Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Government has repositioned Zimbabwe’s long-debated brain drain as a strategic opportunity as the diasporans are now a vital source of skills, innovation and experience that is now actively contributing to national development.
In an interview, Minister of Skills Audit and Development, Professor Paul Mavima, said Zimbabweans working abroad constitute a “brain gain” whose expertise is increasingly being harnessed to drive growth in infrastructure, industry and other key sectors.
He said the presence of Zimbabwean professionals across the world provides invaluable exposure to advanced technologies and global best practices.
“It is important for Zimbabwe to have its professionals across the globe as this creates opportunities for skills development, exposure to new technologies and the acquisition of experience that may not yet be available locally,” said Prof
He said Zimbabwe could draw lessons from countries such as China, which deliberately deploys its skilled personnel to developed nations to acquire knowledge to accelerate local development.
“If you look at the history of China, they had a deliberate policy of sending their skilled personnel to the West to acquire knowledge on new technology. At the appropriate time, those engineers and professionals returned home with skills and technologies, which they then deployed in China,” he said.
Minister Mavima said the migration of Zimbabwe’s skilled labour to developed economies should not be viewed as a loss.
“It is not negative when our skilled workers move to developed countries because the country benefits when those skills and experiences are brought back home,” said Prof Mavima.
He noted that a number of Zimbabwean professionals who used to work in countries such as the United Kingdom, United States, Australia and New Zealand have returned home and are now applying their expertise to develop the country.
“We have engineers and other professionals who are now back in Zimbabwe, with vast international experience, and that knowledge is being deployed in national development,” he said.
Prof Mavima revealed that more than 1 000 Zimbabwean engineers and artisans are presently working in the diaspora, representing a significant pool of expertise that Government intends to tap into.
“We should tap into that rich source of skills and experience and find ways of luring them back home. There are, however, mechanisms through which they can contribute remotely to skills development and problem-solving in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Prof Mavima said advancements in technology and digital connectivity have made it easier to engage diaspora professionals through virtual collaboration and mentorship programmes.
“With internet connectivity and real-time communication, it is now possible to have mentoring programmes and collaborative platforms between those in the diaspora and those at home. This enriches both skills development and innovation locally,” he said.
Minister Mavima said Government is working on strategies to strengthen engagement with the diaspora as part of broader efforts to build a skilled, competitive and technologically driven economy.
