Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister, Advocate Felix Mhona, has declared that the Government fully embraces Public-Private Partnerships as a cornerstone for accelerating national infrastructure development, as he unveiled an ambitious pipeline of road, aviation and border projects designed to transform Zimbabwe into a regional logistics powerhouse.
Delivering a landmark policy address at the Zimpapers Public Lecture Series at the Harare Institute of Technology, Minister Mhona, whose speech was read on his behalf by the Director for Strategic Policy Planning and Evaluation, Mr Takura Vengesa, outlined a bold vision to shift the country from a passive transport corridor to an active processing, consolidation and value-addition hub for regional trade flows.
He identified major PPP projects, including the Harare-Chirundu Road, Harare-Nyamapanda Road, Mutare-Masvingo Road and Beitbridge-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road. In the aviation sector, he cited the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport Cargo Village as a key partnership initiative.
Minister Mhona told delegates that, in the face of rapid global changes driven by digitalisation, technological advancement, climate change and geopolitical developments, nations now compete primarily on the efficiency of their logistics systems rather than their natural resource endowments.
“Countries now compete mainly through efficient logistics, not natural resources. Efficient logistics lowers costs, boosts competitiveness, attracts investment and supports growth. Transport and logistics are cross-cutting enablers that support sectors such as agriculture, mining, tourism, trade, manufacturing and digital transformation. Economic transformation requires an efficient, integrated and resilient transport and logistics system,” he said.
He further underscored the strategic value of ongoing airport modernisation, noting that the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport’s passenger handling capacity had increased from 2.5 million to 6 million passengers per year. He added that Victoria Falls Airport had also recently been upgraded.
Minister Mhona said the Joshua Nkomo International Airport would be upgraded to include a new control tower and runway, while Charles Prince Airport is earmarked for elevation to international status to serve the New City in Mt Hampden. New airports are also planned for Mutare, Kariba and Beitbridge.
“In conclusion, transport is not simply about infrastructure. It is about enabling economic opportunity. It is about connecting Zimbabwe to regional and global markets. It is about creating jobs.
“It is about enhancing competitiveness. It is about improving the quality of life of every Zimbabwean,” Minister Mhona said.
Echoing these sentiments, Zimpapers Chief Executive Officer Mr William Chikoto stressed that efficient transport and logistics systems would be critical in accelerating economic growth, industrialisation, tourism and trade as the country pursues Vision 2030 and upper-middle-income status. “As Zimbabwe advances towards Vision 2030 and the attainment of upper-middle-income status, transport and logistics have become even more important. They are now a strategic enabler of national competitiveness. Efficient transport networks determine the speed at which goods reach markets, the cost of doing business, the attractiveness of investment destinations and, ultimately, the prosperity of our people,” said Mr Chikoto.
The public lecture forms part of Zimpapers’ ongoing commitment to facilitating national dialogue on key economic sectors, ensuring that development initiatives are widely understood by citizens as the nation progresses towards its 2030 goals.
