admin
Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter
Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has hailed China for its unwavering support for Zimbabwean people’s social well-being through investing in the critical sectors of the economy.
Addressing delegates at a China-Africa Local Government Co-operation Forum in Beijing recently, Minister Kasukuwere in a speech made available to The Herald, said Zimbabwe cherished the tremendous contribution made by the Asian economic giant during the country’s liberation struggle and in the post-colonial development agenda.
Related articles…
“We have come to this China-Africa Local Government Co-operation Forum with a long understanding record of mutual friendship and mutual respect,” he said. “China remained an unwavering, all-weather friend and provided training, logistical and moral support and standing on our side at international fora whenever our detractors wanted to impose their regime change agenda on us.
“Many of our cadres who trained in China became excellent military strategists and these are the same men and women who adapted such skills at the end of the war to become leaders of the country’s war on underdevelopment and poverty.”
Minister Kasukuwere hailed China for extending concessionary loans for the rehabilitation of existing large-scale off-site services, construction of new on- and off-site services and the provision of utility vehicles and equipment to councils.
China extended $144 million to Harare City Council for a water and waste rehabilitation project recently, among many other programmes of co-operation with Zimbabwe.
Minister Kasukuwere said China remained instrumental in introducing new technologies and innovations into the local government sector such as solar street lighting and traffic control signals.
He said Zimbabwe had witnessed investors from China, especially under the auspices of the National Development Reform Commission, in the areas of infrastructure and utilities provision.
“An aerial view of the Chinese cities reflects the robust infrastructure which is enabling the growth of their economy,” said Minister Kasukuwere. Dear delegates, let us emulate the Chinese development model.
“In Zimbabwe, we are beginning to realise benefits of the mega deals signed between the two countries in the area of infrastructure provision. We remain indebted to China for the grant they extended to our Government which will go a long way in (the) construction of our new Parliament Building.”
All this, said Minister Kasukuwere, demonstrated the extent to which Zimbabwe was benefiting from its cordial relationship with China as a result of the Look East policy whose chief architect is President Mugabe, the Chairperson of the African Union.
Zimbabwe and China in August last year signed nine landmark agreements that will see the emerging global giant from Asia providing financial support for the much-needed economic enablers in critical sectors.
The critical sectors include energy, roads, national railway network, telecommunications, agriculture and tourism as part of the Government’s economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset).
Online Reporter