Online Reporter
Farirai Machivenyika
Senior Reporter
SPEAKER of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda has challenged Japan to invest in the country’s mining sector, taking advantage of its vast mineral resources and opportunities.
He is leading a Parliamentary delegation on a visit to Japan and invited Japanese investment in the mining sector and other areas in a meeting with the chairperson of the Japan-African Union Parliamentary Friendship Association, Yamagiwa Daishiro.
The Zimbabwe Parliamentary delegation also met the president of the House of Councillors, Masakazu Sekiguchi where they discussed various issues of mutual interest.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Japan, Ambassador Stewart Nyakotyo, also attended the meeting.
“Turning to possible areas of cooperation between Zimbabwe and Japan, Honourable Yamagiwa Daishiro underscored that Zimbabwe is endowed with rich natural resources as well as abundant tourist attractions which can further Zimbabwe’s economic development.
“Echoing the Chairperson’s sentiments, Speaker Mudenda accentuated mineral exploration as a potential area of economic cooperation. With over 40 different types of known minerals, Speaker Mudenda encouraged Japan to partner Zimbabwe in mineral exploration, mining and beneficiation, stressing that Zimbabwe can benefit immensely from Japanese expertise and technological advancements in this field.
“In this regard Honourable Daishiro appreciated the petalite being imported from Zimbabwe, a mineral which is extensively used in manufacturing Japanese pots widely used in the country,” reads a statement from Parliament.
On the tourism front, the Speaker said there was need to strengthen people to people relations through mapping out robust measures to increase the number of Japanese tourists to Zimbabwe which had declined from 30 000 per annum pre-COVID era to 10 000 per annum post-COVID era.
“Another area of cooperation between Zimbabwe and Japan is in the agriculture sector where Japan imports sesame seeds from Zimbabwe. In order to boost sesame seed production, Japan has been building infrastructure and supporting the Zimbabwean farmers through Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA).
“In pursuit of Parliamentary diplomacy, Speaker Mudenda called for the escalation of relations between the Japan-Africa Parliamentary Friendship Association.
“To this end, Speaker Mudenda proposed the establishment of the Zimbabwe-Japan Parliamentary Friendship Association which would not only guide interactions between the two legislatures, but also strengthen Parliamentary processes.
“Speaker Mudenda further proposed that a Memorandum of Understanding be signed by the respective Speakers of Parliament so as to consummate the Friendship Association,” the statement further reads.
Turning to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Parliamentary processes, Advocate Mudenda explained that Parliament of Zimbabwe is currently pushing digitalisation of Parliamentary processes, a positive trajectory in harnessing AI.
Speaker Mudenda, a major proponent of harnessing AI in Parliamentary processes, highlighted the pivotal role of AI in critical sectors such as cyber security, mining and agriculture.
“In buttressing the criticality of strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries, Ambassador Nyakotyo noted that President Mnangagwa, had signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA) and Japanese Space Organisation, Cross-U on the sidelines of the TICAD 9 Summit,” the statement reads.
Adv Mudenda and his delegation are in Japan to promote parliamentary and economic ties.
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