Online Reporter
ZIMBABWE has many natural attributes that make it a good destination for investment, trade and tourism, but it needs to ensure that those who may be interested are aware of both the advantages and the detailed obligations on both sides.
The country has been selling itself effectively in many parts of the world in recent years under the Second Republic and swift recent improvements even more recently in normalising relations with European and North American countries has opened a series of extra doors for practical upgrades of business, trade and tourism ties.
We are ready to welcome all.
The USA is the world’s largest economy and obviously is worth a special effort to find more American business people wanting to do business.
Hence, the Zimbabwe Business Forum 2026 held over the weekend in New York, the commercial capital of the USA as well as the host city for the United Nations headquarters.
The follow-up process will be intensified this week while Zimbabwean officials are in New York with those showing at least some interest while permanent attaches and embassies are ready to do the longer-haul. And the follow-up was seen as critical by the visiting heads of the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency, ZimTrade and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, the three organisations jointly hosting the forum.
One reason for the timing of the forum was the presence of President Mnangagwa.
He is in New York, along with many other national leaders, for the opening session of the 81st General Assembly of the UN. But as is his custom on any of his travels, he always finds time amid the diplomatic rounds for meeting businesspeople, especially those interested in dealing with Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans.
He quite rightly sees the diplomatic and business worlds as complementary, hence the twin fundamental Zimbabwean approaches to the rest of the world, that we are friends of all and enemy of none, and that Zimbabwe is open for business. Both policies are designed to grow the Zimbabwean economy, increase Zimbabwean value and make sure all Zimbabweans will live a better and happier life every year that passes.
When President Mnangagwa took office there was still some troubled political waters that could have made American businesses a little nervous. While a few American investors did accept the opportunities, many of the investments since the start of the Second Republic have come from other parts of the world, and much of the surge in trade has also been with countries keen to establish relations.
But there was nothing particularly special about the sources of trade and investment except that those who saw a good mutual deal were keen to step up; the doors were open to all. President Mnangagwa stressed to his large American audience that Zimbabwe played no favourites and certainly had no hit list when it came to doing business. Every investor, and every business wanting to trade, was guaranteed equal treatment and equal access. Indeed, the more the merrier as expanding the range of investors, as well as the numbers, provides faster growth and greater stability.
Besides this fairness, the Second Republic has devoted a lot of effort to streamlining and simplifying investment guidelines along with the rest of the business regulations. We have kept, although in clear and easy to understand terms, the rational safety, health, environmental, labour and tax rules, including the special capital start-up allowances that help all investors. Among the early reforms of the Second Republic was the insistence on one-stop services and agencies, making things even simpler.
This sensible and rational framework applies to all, Zimbabwean and foreign and regardless of where the foreign investor comes from. We do not ration or quota friendship. Old friends and new friends are all welcome; we do not choose. “Friends to all, enemies to none” is a precise policy.
Having the President making all this clear in his outline to potential investors and businesspeople is helpful.
It has helped with many other successful approaches in other parts of the world, but it has then, as is the case now, always been backed up by the officials and the agencies smoothly following up and discussing the details and providing the sort of detailed information every business person wants.
The forum received a boost from some of the American businesses who took the plunge a while ago and were able to assure their fellow citizens that Zimbabwe treated everyone fairly and that if they had a potential good deal, then everyone could win.
Besides the International Monetary Fund and World Bank noting that Zimbabwe has been successful in resetting its economic fundamentals, there was also that interesting advice from a major American bank that American investors and businesses should take a hard look at Zimbabwe so they did not miss out. Good advice.
