Online Reporter
Sunday Mail Reporter
SUPPORT from Belarus has helped Zimbabwe mechanise its agriculture, among many other demonstrable benefits from deepening diplomatic relations and trade ties with the East European country, President Mnangagwa has said.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Belarus Second National Television Channel (ONT) at State House in Harare on Thursday, President Mnangagwa said Harare stood to significantly benefit from its cooperation with Minsk.
“Belarus is more advanced than us, and we look to benefit from the development they have achieved,” he said.
“We are a developing, Third World country, and we are lucky that we have a country like Belarus that facilitates and helps us develop in various areas, especially in the economic sub-sector of our endeavour.”
Belarusian tractors, combine harvesters and other agricultural equipment, he said, were being widely used across Zimbabwe because of the “very lucrative terms” offered to local buyers, giving the country access to machinery critical to boosting agricultural production and food security.
Agricultural mechanisation — a flagship programme under the Second Republic — has emerged as perhaps the most visible example of cooperation between the two countries.
“In all our provinces, wherever you go, you find Belarus tractors,” said President Mnangagwa.
“If you go to my farm, from the combine harvester to tractors, most of them are Belarus machinery, and they are very popular in this country.
“It is because they have given us very lucrative terms in purchasing them. So, we are very happy, and I am very thankful to my brother, President (Aleksandr) Lukashenko.”
The President’s remarks underlined the practical dimension of a relationship that has developed rapidly in recent years, with agricultural mechanisation emerging as a major component of Zimbabwe’s efforts to modernise farming and improve production and productivity.
The availability of affordable machinery has helped farmers move away from dependence on draught power and outdated equipment.
Zimbabwe recently took delivery of a fresh consignment of 90 high-tech tractors from Belarus under the third phase of the Zimbabwe-Belarus Agricultural Mechanisation Programme.
The latest delivery brought the total number of tractors imported under the programme this year to 412.
Sixty combine harvesters have also been delivered in the period.
The first phase of the mechanisation programme saw the delivery of 470 tractors, 60 combine harvesters and various agricultural implements, while the second phase added 1 300 tractors, together with additional harvesters and equipment.
President Mnangagwa also said the skills transfer and education exchange programme between the two countries was a strong illustration of how Harare was benefitting from the relationship.
Hundreds of Zimbabwean students are presently pursuing higher education in fields such as engineering, general medicine and innovation sciences.
“Also, we have our young people going to your country, to Belarus, to receive education and training in various fields, and this benefits us in terms of acquiring these skills to develop our own country,” he said.
He underlined that Zimbabwe’s relationship with Belarus was based on learning from a more developed partner while retaining responsibility for the country’s own development.
The two countries are also seeking to deepen trade, with a target of raising bilateral trade to US$100 million by 2030.
President Mnangagwa said the target was achievable if both governments continued creating an environment that encouraged businesses in the two countries to trade with each other.
He cautioned, however, that governments could not dictate trade.
“You don’t force trade; you facilitate trade,” he said, arguing that businesses would trade where they found mutually beneficial opportunities.
“Traders and businesspeople go where they get the best advantage on both sides.
“So, we would want to make sure, as governments, to facilitate business between our two communities so that we both benefit.
“We are a fast-developing country in Southern Africa, and it is critically important that we have a country or countries that we relate to, look to and have assistance from in our journey for industrialisation.”
The President also credited his close personal relationship with President Lukashenko with helping strengthen relations between the two countries, describing the two leaders as close friends and “brothers”.
