Online Reporter
Robin Muchetu in Osaka, Japan
ZIMBABWE’S global investment profile has been significantly boosted by its participation in the ongoing Osaka Expo 2025 in Japan, opening vital avenues for exposure to international markets, Vice-President Kembo Mohadi has said. This development is anticipated to drive economic growth and increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with the tourism sector specifically highlighted as key to unlocking this potential.
Vice-President Mohadi, who is attending the expo — which has been running for the past six months and concludes on October 13 — highlighted the significance of the event for Zimbabwe.
“The Expo has put Zimbabwe on the global map, which is very important. The world has become a global village, and there is no way we can remain behind. We are part and parcel of that global village,” he said.
VP Mohadi emphasised the importance of cultural exchange and reiterated the need to embrace other cultures.
“It’s also important to learn from you (Japan) that we will visit a cultural site. We need to learn from other people’s cultures too in the world because we are hosted by Japan — this is their home. It’s important that we visit their sites and see what they do. We need to enrich our culture by seeing other peoples’ cultures,” he said. VP Mohadi said Zimbabwe was ready to leverage opportunities like the Osaka Expo to promote its products and boost the economy.
“I am happy that one of the reasons we are here is that Japan is one of the largest economies in the world. Therefore, we need to tap into that in terms of trade,” he said.
He called upon Zimbabweans to actively promote the country internationally, particularly in tourism, which has a direct impact on national revenue.
“We have a lot back home that we can trade with Japan. Unfortunately, we are not very aggressive on the ground for the Japanese to appreciate what we have. Zimbabwe boasts numerous tourist sites that remain largely undisclosed to the world. Tourism is an economy. In many countries, especially in South America and the Caribbean, it contributes significantly to their fiscus. We can do the same,” he said.
The Vice-President further highlighted Zimbabwe’s renowned natural wonder, Victoria Falls, which he said was not being fully exploited.
“We are not exporting it to the world, we are not talking much about it. We need to entice them to come and see what we have. We must package our tourism and trade to attract more visitors,” he said.
Referring to pre-Covid-19 tourist figures, VP Mohadi said Zimbabwe used to receive about 30 000 tourists from Japan annually, which is not enough.
“That number dropped significantly but is now recovering, with around 15 000 tourists per year. We need to do more,” he said.
Comparatively, VP Mohadi pointed out that Japan receives approximately 3,9 million tourists per month, with a target of 40 million annually.
Zimbabwe should take a cue from this and aim to increase its tourist traffic, he said, as he underscored the need to scale up investments in the tourism sector to achieve these targets.
“Zimbabwe does not live in isolation; it coexists with other nations. For our development, engagement with the rest of the world is essential. Our mantra is to engage and re-engage. We re-engage those we once engaged and forge new partnerships. This will help us grow our economy and improve our GDP,” said VP Mohadi.
VP Mohadi said Zimbabwe’s economic story extends beyond tourism, emphasising its mineral wealth.
“The Japanese must also come and establish themselves in our country. We have had diplomatic ties with Japan since 1980, when we gained independence, and have engaged in bilateral cooperation across various sectors such as education, infrastructure development and tourism.
“We also want to expand trade and commerce between our countries. We are here at Osaka Expo 2025 to showcase Zimbabwe’s potential, promoting tourism, infrastructure development and trade,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s rich tourism destinations, including Victoria Falls, Nyanga and the Great Zimbabwe Ruins, are key attractions that the country aims to promote on the international stage.
“Through expos like this, we are showcasing our animals, flora, fauna and cultural sites. Visitors should see and visit Zimbabwe. Tourism boosts our revenues. We also aim to trade in minerals and agricultural produce and hope Japanese industries will establish themselves in Zimbabwe to strengthen our economic ties,” said VP Mohadi.
He said Zimbabwe has a comparative advantage in agriculture, which should be a major win in terms of global trade.
“Japan is the fourth-largest economy in the world and we should learn from them. They have many mountainous areas but are able to feed their people. They grow a lot of rice, their staple food, and I have heard that they have developed a variety that can be cultivated not only in paddies but also on dry land.
“This variety was introduced to Zimbabwe courtesy of the First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, who visited Japan and convinced them to conduct research in that area. We will conduct trials back home, and ultimately, we aim to produce sufficient rice to feed our own people, which will be beneficial for import substitution,” said VP Mohadi.
– @NyembeziMu
