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Columbus Mabika and Tsitsi Tasaranarwo
The engagement and re-engagement efforts being undertaken by the Second Republic have yielded positive and promising political and economic relations between Zimbabwe and the international community of nations, while at the same time revitalising the investment climate in the country and attracting the much-needed foreign direct investment.
Presenting the Zimbabwe Defence Policy to students of the Joint Command and Staff Course at Zimbabwe Staff College yesterday, Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said the “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” mantra was working.
“Since his coming into office on 24th November 2017, His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa, embarked on a serious engagement and re-engagement programme with those in the international community that had turned their backs on us,” she said.
“These efforts, undertaken under the popular mantra, have yielded positive and promising political and economic relations between Zimbabwe and the international community of nations, while at the same time revitalising the investment climate in the country and attracting the much-needed foreign direct investment.
“This has resulted in the country securing substantial investments such as the $4,2 billion Darwendale Platinum project, the Mvuma Iron and Steel Project, and several other mining projects. It is, however, critical to note that most of these projects are long term in nature and require longer turnaround periods to have direct impact on the economy.
“This, therefore, calls upon our people to be patient whilst the fruits of these projects are trickling down the economy. His Excellency the President’s economic drive is ultimately aimed at achieving the country’s vision of an upper middle-income economy by 2030.”
Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said while the re-engagement had been successful, it had not been an easy task as detractors intermittently threw spanners to the works.
“While His Excellency, the President, has championed the re-engagement drive for the country, this has not been a walk in the park as our detractors have intermittently thrown spanners in the works in order to derail progress,” she said.
“Previously, we have witnessed a series of alleged abductions, which surprisingly coincided with International Conferences and high-level visits to the country, meant to project a negative image of the country’s human rights record.”
Zimbabwe’s Defence Policy, she said, placed great emphasis on sound management of the military establishment and its defence resources and recognized the need to establish and maintain a resource management system that was judicious, transparent and accountable.
This, she said, had seen the Zimbabwe Defence Forces achieving its Constitutional objectives even against the backdrop of limited resources, resulting from subdued economic activity owing to the effects of the illegal economic sanctions imposed on the country by the West.
The policy, she said, encouraged active participation of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces in social and economic development by rendering military assistance to civil authorities, in addition to placing focus on the improvement and enhancement of conditions of service and welfare of troops through the pursuit of dynamic programmes to provide decent and adequate accommodation, salaries and transport facilities.
Turning to the regional security situation, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said the political situation presently remained stable, however, the influx of undocumented immigrants from West and north Africa with the help of human trafficking syndicates remained a challenge. She said modernisation of the defence forces across the globe had invariably become the order of the day.
Online Reporter