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Wallace Ruzvidzo
Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe’s participation at the forthcoming Expo 2025 Osaka, is not only an opportunity for the country to pursue trade, investment and tourism but a platform to learn international best practices in various sectors, the Zimbabwe Pavilion Commissioner General Mr Allan Majuru has said.
Expo 2025 Osaka is an upcoming World Expo organised and sanctioned by the Bureau International des Expositions and it will take place for six months starting from April 13 through to October 13.
The Expo expects 28,2 million visitors, with business visitors expected to make up around 40 percent mainly from Asia, Europe, and the Americas, while the remaining 60 percent will be potential tourists.
Speaking to the media yesterday, Mr Majuru, who is also ZimTrade chief executive officer said it was imperative that Zimbabwe learns and adopts international best practices.
This, he said, would make the country a force to reckon with on the global stage.
“So, I think, before I get into the trade, tourism and investment issues, one key thing that represents such events, it is also an opportunity for us to learn international perspectives, how the world is moving.
“Because the opportunities that Osaka offers are quite big and our goal is to facilitate business, to make business.”
The Expo, said Mr Majuru, also provided Zimbabwe an opportunity to market itself as an investment destination of choice.
“So, just to give context, this is a six month event, starting April 13th to October 13th.
“And the whole idea is to showcase that which Zimbabwe can offer the rest of the world.
“There are going to be more than 150 countries there and we expect more than 20 million visitors there.
“So already, just looking at that, it is a platform for us to market the country,” he said.
In terms of trade, Mr Majuru said Zimbabwe would look at various avenues as well as push for increased cooperation with Japan.
“Trade volumes (with Japan) are quite low but as much as it is a challenge, we want to turn that into an opportunity using Osaka.
“And they have got a lot of interests, especially in the arts and crafts that we want to explore.
“The reason why the arts and crafts sector is so important to us is the livelihoods that can be changed,” he said.
On preparations, Mr Majuru said a test run of the Zimbabwe Pavilion would be done on April 4 ahead of the official opening on April 13.
Online Reporter