‘Self-reliance key in changing global order’

Kudzanai Sharara recently in DAVOS, Switzerland

From the adverse impact of climate change to disruptions caused by Covid-19 and now the Russia-Ukraine conflict, one key trend that is emerging is that the global order is changing.

Organisers of the World Economic Forum (WEF) that ended on Thursday − and was attended by President Mnangagwa − themed the event “History at a Turning Point: Government Policies and Business Strategies.”

It is no longer business as usual.

World production and trade have been left highly vulnerable by a series of natural and man-made events.

The world had become increasingly reliant on global value chains, with key materials and products produced in different countries or regions.

But, while globalisation was fast establishing an efficient, just-in-time global system, fragility was also setting in.

And even as climate change has always been cause for concern, the world is still arguing about who should meet the cost of climate change adaptation. Covid-19 and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine is, therefore, a pointed reminder that just a single disruption in any part of the world can block the entire global production and supply chain.

The Covid-19 outbreak seriously disrupted production as well as movement of goods and people. The tourism sector in particular was decimated and is yet to fully recover.

Some players in the industry closed shop for good.

And with the world coming to terms with Covid-19, and slowly adjusting and learning to live with it, the conflict in Ukraine has come as another strong reminder.

While it is concentrated in only two countries − Russia and Ukraine − in Eastern Europe, the conflict has led to a breakdown of entire value chains across the globe.

The consequences are being felt everywhere, with global food prices at record levels.

Trade between countries is also under threat amid restricted movement of goods and people.

Against such backdrop, the 2022 WEF theme, which suggests that history is at a turning point, was not far-fetched.

As the world becomes increasingly vulnerable, political, business and civic society leaders need new policies and strategies for sustainability and growth.

President Mnangagwa was part of more than 200 global leaders and 50 Heads of State and Government that converged in Davos, Switzerland, to discuss how to respond to emerging threats facing the world.

Given the fact that Zimbabwe has been under sanctions for more than two decades, whose impact is similar to the convulsions being experienced in the world today, President Mnangagwa had a lot to share.

His message was simple: It is time to eat what you kill, and if you don’t kill, you don’t eat. Put simply, he was saying the time to rely on others to feed you is over.

This concept is encapsulated in his philosophy that “nyika inovakwa nevene vayo”, which means a country is built by its own people.

He said Africa has enough resources to feed itself.

“We have good land, arable land, and it is important for the current crop of African leaders to make sure the continent is food secure,” he said in one strategy session that called on leaders to examine “the role of Africa in a changing global order”.

“We have the capacity as a continent to produce those things and all we need is to mechanise and industrialise our agriculture sector.”

Other African leaders agree.

Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera believes Africa must “leverage” on its assets than “lament” its liabilities.

He said Africa should not accept “anyone doing for us what we can do for ourselves”.

Africa, he added, must be the one that finds solutions and contribute to the future of humanity. Speaking during the same discussion, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said Africa is probably a victim of its politeness, which sees it do “things that we don’t like to do because the owners of the house have asked you to do”.

He said Africa has been learning for “too long” and now “needs to start making use of those lessons”.

“We start from what we can do for ourselves then we partner with others from the world,” said President Kagame.

“We can’t wait for others to make us wait till they are done . . .  there are many things we can do in our different countries . . .  Now attention is going to Ukraine and we are on our own.

“We need to force ourselves to face this truth and do something about it.”