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shopping mall in Harare and commended Chinese companies for investing in the country.
The US$84 million shopping mall is being constructed by the Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company who also constructed the National Defence College.
President Mugabe is expected to open the college today.
“It is a massive project indeed, I had no idea what size it would be, even what shape it would take but I was aware that our Chinese friends were building this mall and will build a hotel later,” President Mugabe said.
“This is very massive and it is real contribution to development but we will make comments when it is finished. It is very impressive indeed and we are grateful for its contribution to our development.”
During the construction of the NDC and the mall at least 2 000 jobs were created while hundreds more jobs have been created at the company’s other operations in the country.
The President said the fact that it was being built next to the National Sports Stadium would change the landscape of the area and make it more attractive to visitors.
The shopping mall will house supermarkets, an amusement park and boutiques among others.
In his brief to the President, AFECC president Mr Jiang Qingde said the mall was a symbol of the great relations between Zimbabwe and China.
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“It is a monument of Sino-Zimbabwe relations. We initiated this project this year with the help of the Ministry of Defence and a cross section of Zimbabwe’s society and we expect to complete it this coming October,” he said.
Mr Jiang said after the mall’s completion they would move to the second phase — the construction of the five-star hotel.
The US$150 million hotel will have 300 rooms and conference facilities.
“I trust that your personal visit will bring good luck and much better progress to this project. We are confident that this shopping mall shall be a unique mall in Zimbabwe and Sadc and we hope through further co-operation we can help in rebuilding Zimbabwe’s economy,” he said.
Speaking at a luncheon held for President Mugabe by AFECC, Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa thanked the Chinese for standing by Zimbabwe in difficult times.
“The Chinese people and their leadership have stood with us during our struggle for independence and have continued to stand with us when the West imposed sanctions on us,” he said.
Minister Mnangagwa said because of the Look East Policy enunciated by President Mugabe, Zimbabwe managed to overcome some of the challenges brought about by the illegal sanctions.
“We are very proud that AFECC has committed itself to Zimbabwe, so far they have done three projects, Anjin Investments in Mutare which is very successful, the Golden Peacock Hotel also in Mutare and tomorrow we are opening the state-of-the-art National Defence College which will be a university in 2015,” he said.
Minister Mnangagwa said there were ongoing negotiations for AFECC to construct another hotel in Victoria Falls while the company would also construct the proposed new parliament building.
Minister Mnangagwa thanked AFECC for relocating their headquarters from West Africa to Zimbabwe saying this was a vote of confidence for the country.
Online Reporter