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South Africa has pledged to support Government’s economic blue print, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation, until it becomes a success.
Zim Asset is an economic blue print crafted to guide Government for the next five years.
Speaking after meeting Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare yesterday, South African representative in the country Ambassador Vusi Mavimbela said Zimbabwe was now politically stable and should concentrate on economic development.
As such, Mr Mavimbela said, South Africa was ready to support and enhance economic relations between the two countries.
“We discussed the issues of the new terrain where we are now beginning to concentrate on trade and economic development,” he said.
“Zimbabwe has just come up with a new programme for economic development (Zim Asset) and the programme must be communicated. So we were saying to the Minister (Prof Moyo), we want and we can play a role to help communicate the development of Zimbabwe until its economy becomes a success.”
Prof Moyo was in the company of his deputy Cde Supa Mandiwanzira.
Mr Mavimbela said South Africa and Zimbabwe had close economic relations hence his country was interested in the success of the economic blue print.
“That issue is close to the heart of the people of South Africa because of the strong and close economic ties we have with Zimbabwe,” he said.
“We were discussing how better we can communicate the story of Zimbabwe, the challenges that Zimbabwe is facing and where it is going in terms of economic development.
“We can help to communicate the good story of economic development in Zimbabwe and these are the areas we are exploring and will continue to explore until we realise our goals.”
Mr Mavimbela said he also congratulated Prof Moyo on his new appointment and the successful holding of the harmonised election by Zimbabwe.
“All in all it was a good meeting,” he said.
“We asked for the meeting to congratulate Prof Moyo and the people of Zimbabwe for the elections and the new appointments.”
He said the two countries were committed to ensuring that the environment for making business in both countries was conducive to assist those who wanted to invest in them.
South Africa is Zimbabwe’s largest trading partner with imports including food, information communication Technology products and textiles while it exports mostly minerals like platinum down south.
Official data shows that total trade volumes between Zimbabwe and South Africa reached US$5,8 billion last year from US$4,6 billion in 2011.
Over the last years South Africans have shown interest to invest in the country with several business people exhibiting at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo every year.
South Africa Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Ms Elizabeth Thebethe led the businesspeople who attended the annual event in 2011.
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