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Prosper Ndlovu Business Editor—
ZIMBABWEANS should be proud of their country and never lose hope because of sanctions imposed on the country by the West, visiting Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé said yesterday. In his keynote address while officially opening the 57th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo, Gnassingbe urged Zimbabwe to be steadfast in the fight for the preservation of its national values.
He said the country must not be deterred by machinations of its detractors. “So you must be optimistic. Each country has its own history. You’ve been through sanctions like my own country,” said Gnassingbe, drawing thunderous applause from thousands of people and dignitaries who witnessed the trade showcase opening.
He continued: “For 15 years, we’ve been under sanctions. Each year we lost one percent of our GDP but we resisted and now we’re fighting back. I would encourage you to do that and Africa should do that.”
Zimbabwe’s economy has been crippled by sanctions that were imposed by Britain and her Western allies after the country embarked on a land redistribution programme at the turn of the millennium. Experts say the embargo has cost the country close to $40 billion.
Due to sanctions, Zimbabwe has not been able to access fresh lines of credit from international finance houses while its trade to lucrative markets has also suffered heavily.
The negative international image has also increased country risk, which repels foreign direct investment. The underlying effect of this has been the demise of productive sectors of the economy and massive loss of jobs due to company closures.
Gnassingbe said his visit to Zimbabwe exposed him to a different outlook altogether, saying what he saw in the country was different from what is projected about it by the international media.
“You should be proud of your country and never lose hope. Each country has its own path. You must believe God and follow your own path. If we preserve our values, then we can develop Africa and make it more prosperous,” he added.
Gnassingbe said time has come for Africa to unite and chart a common future in the spirit of integration, a long-time dream of the continent’s founding fathers.
He challenged African leaders to learn from people who live in border areas who work together and assist each other despite the geographical boundaries separating them. Gnassingbe said the continent could achieve growth through embracing innovation, integration and industrialisation as a regional programme for the future.
He welcomed the invitation to attend next year’s trade fair and pledged to “come with a bigger delegation and learn more from Zimbabwe”.
Online Reporter