adminMANICALAND business community sees light ahead of the tunnel following the commissioning of the historic US$3 billion platinum mining project in Darwendale in Mashonaland West this week.
The highly lucrative joint venture between Zimbabwe and Russia follows a month after mega deals were signed between Zimbabwe and China during his Excellency President Robert Mugabe’s recent State visit in Beijing, China.
The Russian delegation, led by Russian Industry and Trade Minister Mr Denis Manturov and the Russian Foreign Minister Mr Sergey Lavrov, arrived in the country on Monday on a three-day official visit.
Mr Manturov said Russia was keen to invest in several other sectors in Zimbabwe including agriculture, energy, infrastructure development, communication, tourism, and health.
Mutare Merchants managing director and Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce Manicaland vice-chairman Mr John Mano said the coming on board of China and Russia to bankroll mega projects in Zimbabwe was the beacon of hope needed to steer hope in the nation on the feasibility of the economic blueprint, Zimbabwe Agenda for
Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation.
Mr Mano said if the bilateral agreements can further pave way for business partnerships with private sector this would proffer the targeted growth rates under Zim-Asset in the manufacturing sector.
“Zimbabwe is endowed with infinite natural resources but we are currently bleeding from liquidity constraints to revamp our ailing industry.
“Hopefully, the recent bilateral agreements with China and Russia will attract other international investors to invest in big local infrastructural to create employment in the wake of the incumbent massive company closures throughout the country.
“Only billionaire international investors can resuscitate our ailing local industry and they will only invest in such projects once special considerations for a business environment are created, which is where the Special Economic Zones should also come to play,” said Mr Mano.
Businessman and economic analyst, Mr Charles Tawazadza, said the recent signing of lucrative deals from the East and time immemorial friends like Russia shows where Zimbabwe’s bread was buttered.
“Our bread is buttered on the Eastern world and this is where our focus should be. Russia and China are not merely giving us aid, but a fishing rod to become our own liberators and develop our infrastructure and industry in the process.
“This is no doubt the biggest deal since independence and I have faith in the shift by President Mugabe to look East and focus on our time immemorial friends like China, Russia, Brazil to mention a few, for assistance,” said Mr Tawazadza.
Mr Tawazadza, however, said implementation was always a problem after the signing of such mega deals and urged Government to hastily implement the deal according to the set targets.
“The $750 million Ziscosteel-Essar Africa deal is an example of how implementation was stalled for years with little progress in sight for the past years until recently.
“The Zimbabwe-Russia platinum deal on the other hand is touching on the bedrock of Zim-Asset on beneficiation and value addition.
“I hope quick implementation to get the project on track will be seen,” said Mr Tawazadza.
Past-president of Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries and Nestle Zimbabwe managing director, Mr Kumbirayi Katsande, concurred that the bilateral agreement developments gave hope to the nation about the practicability of Zim-Asset but implementation is where the focus should be now.
“This no doubt gives hope on the seriousness of President Mugabe and Government about making Zim-Asset work and their optimism in the friends of Zimbabwe like China and Russia to take us out of the doldrums.
“We, however, now have to monitor the implementation of all these projects. Where time lines are not being met, action against the line ministries implementing should be taken.
“Yes a beacon of hope is at hand but our problems are certainly far from over and more work has to be done,” said Mr Katsande.
Russia has in recent years increased its mining interests in Zimbabwe where it is already exploiting gold and diamonds.
Manicaland is earmarked among the key provinces with several SEZS as it is endowed with vast natural resources.
Online Reporter