Online Reporter
Farirai Machivenyika
Zimbabwe is seeking to transform its long-standing friendship with Singapore into stronger economic cooperation, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira has said.
He said this after paying a courtesy call on Singapore’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, on the sidelines of the 5th Singapore-Africa Ministerial Exchange Visit yesterday.
The ministers’ engagement focused on strengthening bilateral trade, fostering innovation, and building cooperation in key sectors aligned with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 of transforming the country into an upper-middle income society.
Speaking after the meeting, Prof Murwira said the two countries already enjoy “excellent political relations,” but the focus should now be on transforming the close ties into tangible economic opportunities.
“We have discussed with the Honourable Minister a framework through which we can relate in a more formalised way, including political consultations and a bilateral trade agreement between Zimbabwe and Singapore,” Prof Murwira said. “This will create the structure needed for more business between our two countries.”
Zimbabwe has already made inroads in the Singaporean market and earlier this year, began exporting blueberries to the Asian country following market scans conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, through Zimbabwe’s trade promotion body ZimTrade, in partnership with Zimbabwe’s Embassy in Singapore.
Prof Murwira noted that these exports were a step towards diversifying markets and deepening trade relations, and emphasised that Zimbabwe’s foreign policy, anchored on the principle of being “a friend to all and an enemy to none,” was driven by the need to secure partnerships that directly improve livelihoods.
“Our national strategy is to build a democratic, free society where people are prosperous and lead fulfilling lives. Trade is one of the key vehicles to achieve this, which is why His Excellency President Mnangagwa continues to champion the translation of goodwill into goods and services,” he said.
Discussions also explored how Zimbabwe could leverage Singapore’s expertise in finance, logistics and digital innovation.
The Minister noted that Singapore’s knowledge-driven economy offers important lessons for Zimbabwe’s Heritage-Based Education 5.0 model, which prioritises innovation for industrialisation.
Tourism was another area identified for collaboration, with Zimbabwe exploring opportunities for Singapore Airlines to extend its reach to Harare.
Prof Murwira said such connectivity, would not only boost tourism but also facilitate trade, given the growing air freight links used for exports like blueberries.
Prof Murwira expressed optimism that the bilateral engagement will soon yield formal agreements to advance cooperation in politics, economics and social development.
Online Reporter