Zim steps up economic diplomacy at Davos

Farirai Machivenyika-Senior Reporter

ZIMBABWE is pursuing an expanded role in the global economy, a key pillar of President Mnangagwa’s economic diplomacy agenda, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira has said.

Prof Murwira said this in an interview after attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos, Switzerland last week.

Over 60 Heads of State, global business leaders and worldwide influencers attended the WEF to engage in forward-looking discussions to address global issues under the theme “A spirit of dialogue”.

This year, Zimbabwe will press for greater global influence with a bid for a seat on the UN Security Council and by assuming the chairmanship of COMESA.

It follows a sustained push for engagement, including President Mnangagwa’s advocacy of the “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” message at past World Economic Forums.

In Davos, Prof Murwira met with various international figures, including companies and investors where he sold the country as a safe investment destination.

“President Mnangagwa’s policy is around economic diplomacy,” he said. “So, we weave around that to integrate Zimbabwe into the global economy for the overall objective of the prosperity of our people.

“So, you find out that from 2018, His Excellency started attending this WEF as a method to integrate Zimbabwe into the global economy for that overall objective of the prosperity and dignity of our people.

“This week, we have been attending a lot of meetings around global governance, the geopolitical landscape, making sure that we understand the global political landscape. If we do understand the global political landscape, we definitely would know how to navigate Zimbabwe in this turbulent world.”

Prof Murwira said the WEF discussed how the new geopolitical outlook would influence trade and the global economy in the broad-spectrum.

This, he said, was significant to Zimbabwe as President Mnangagwa has specifically instructed that the country be integrated into the global economic system.

“So, solutions were proffered, and this is very important for Zimbabwe, because Zimbabwe, under the instruction of President Mnangagwa, is in the process of formulating Zimbabwe’s global strategy, which has the aim of implementing the President’s objective of integrating Zimbabwe into the global economy.

“We really have been busy for the whole week and we also had, of course, bilateral meetings, again focusing on economic issues.”

Prof Murwira held several bilateral meetings, including with GAVI (the Global Vaccine Alliance), to explore avenues for Zimbabwe to deepen cooperation on vaccine manufacturing and health systems strengthening.

Another meeting was with executives from Phillip Morris International (PMI), one of the top companies in the world involved with tobacco products.

“We also had a bilateral meeting with PMl, basically talking about the tobacco value chain and how we can have technology mitigate the negative effects of tobacco, thereby increasing its use across the world,” Prof Murwira said.

“As you know, Zimbabwe is a huge producer of tobacco in Africa and we are expecting 500 million kilogrammes, and these 500 million kilogrammes have to be taken up by the world.

“PMI is one of the up takers of our tobacco, so we are encouraging them to do direct purchases from Zimbabwe, as well as participate in the value chain of the tobacco industry in Zimbabwe.”

Another meeting was with representatives of India’s government, with discussions focusing on enhancing cooperation on energy and trade.

“Trade came up as one of the most important issues that the world has to encourage under the World Trade Organisation,” he said.

“Imperfect as it may be, we can always reform it as member states so that we encourage trade.

“In other words, Zimbabwe’s attitude is that trade is an instrument of peace. It is an instrument of world peace. Because if we don’t trade, what do we do? Do we grab resources and go? So we have only one choice, which is trade, and doing rules around trade for the prosperity of the globe.”

Prof Murwira said President Mnangagwa takes trade as one of his major foreign policy instruments, to the extent that he configured the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade with trade as its main component, so that Zimbabwe’s foreign policy, which advocates for peaceful coexistence, uses trade as that instrument for the coexistence.

“There has been a lot of work that has been happening. It helps us to formulate that strategy. It helps us to navigate Zimbabwe in these turbulent seas of geopolitical tensions,” he said.

“And we have been very successful. But the most important thing is that the secret is in the implementation.”

Prof Murwira said they advanced Africa’s position as espoused within the African Continental Free Trade Area.

“I was able to convene a session on the African Continental Free Trade Area, which helped us to focus on Africa,” he said.

Other Government officials, including Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube also attended the WEF.

The Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion revealed that Prof Ncube secured about €20 million (US$23 million) to fund a major ecological restoration programme for Lake Chivero, in an intervention aimed at reversing decades of pollution and environmental degradation at Harare’s primary water source.

Founded in 1971, the WEF’s mission is “improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.”