shloboe boe
Gibson Mhaka
Zimpapers Politics Hub
THE Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) should be viewed not merely as a promotional event but as a crucial strategic diplomatic avenue for forging industrial partnerships and cementing long-term co-operation, said Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Professor Amon Murwira.
Speaking at the Connect Africa Symposium on Thursday, where he delivered a presentation titled “The Role of Diplomacy in Africa’s Industrialisation” at the ongoing Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), Professor Murwira underscored the importance of strategic diplomatic efforts in achieving the continent’s economic goals, highlighting ZITF’s pivotal role in this endeavour.
The symposium was held under the theme: “Industrialisation and Economic Integration: Strengthening Africa’s Resilience.”
“Let’s view events like ZITF not merely as promotional events but as strategic diplomatic avenues where industrial partnerships are forged and long-term cooperation is cemented. The Zimbabwe International Trade Fair is more than a marketplace. It is an instrument of economic diplomacy feeding into the broader vision of the Africa-Continental Free Trade Area. ZITF offers a platform to showcase our capabilities, attract capital, deepen bilateral and multilateral ties, and reinforce international co-operation,” he said.
Building on the significance of platforms like ZITF, Prof Murwira underscored the foundational importance of international relations, saying diplomacy plays a crucial role in fostering the good relations and conducive international environment necessary for Africa’s industrialisation and economic integration.
He said a trade-connected Africa is essential for unlocking opportunities in both goods and services, ultimately leading to greater productivity and prosperity.
“Thus, an Africa connected by trade is the way to unlock opportunities for trade in goods and services, ultimately leading to a more productive and prosperous future. Diplomacy is pursued for the purposes of good relations that foster elevated trade relations,” said Prof Murwira.
He highlighted that while the world is interconnected, Africa trades more with external partners than within the continent itself.
“We are living in an interconnected world but whose architecture is such that Africa is trading more with the rest of the world and less with itself. Intra-African trade remains one of the continent’s major opportunities, but it accounts for only 16 percent of the total trade. Over 50 percent of the continent’s imports and exports are tied to economies outside of Africa,” he said, emphasising the need to rectify this imbalance.
Prof Murwira said Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was the best pathway to reduce dependence on unfavourable global markets and enhance resilience through intra-Africa trade.
He stressed that a trade-connected Africa is essential for unlocking opportunities in both goods and services, ultimately leading to greater productivity and prosperity.
“Thus, an Africa connected by trade is the way to unlock opportunities for trade in goods and services, ultimately leading to a more productive and prosperous future. A connected Africa is therefore a productive and trading Africa. Zimbabwe’s trade landscape with the rest of Africa is a good case in point,” he said.
Drawing on Zimbabwe’s own trade patterns, Prof Murwira illustrated how diplomatic relations directly translate into trade activity, pointing to significant trade volumes with countries like South Africa, Mozambique, the UAE and China.
He emphasised that in its diplomatic engagements, Africa must assert its sovereignty and take ownership of its development.
“In designing and implementing diplomatic relations with the rest of the world, Africa has to assert itself first as a sovereign and must take responsibility for its development by being herself, thinking for herself, being conscious of the endowments and potential, and the mentality that Africa is built by a people through an infrastructure of well-structured trade relations within itself and the rest of the world,” said Prof Murwira.
A key aspect of this diplomatic effort, according to Prof Murwira, is promoting an international environment that is “peaceful and conducive to fair trade practices.”
He argued that Africa’s industrialisation, rooted in heritage-based local production, will form the foundation for new and equitable trade relationships.
“Promoting industrialisation through local production serves as a critical driver of economic growth and development, enabling Africa to secure a competitive edge in global trade, strengthen industrial capacity, and build resilience against economic shocks. “Heritage offers opportunities for multiple sectors that include tourism, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, timber, furniture, manufacturing industries, making Africa a competitive player in the global market,” said Prof Murwira. To accelerate industrialisation, Prof Murwira called for Africa to be “open for business” and position itself as a premier destination for international investment.
He emphasised that successful industrialisation in Africa hinges on solid diplomatic foundations that “open up markets, connect value chains, standardise procedures, and enable the seamless movement of goods and services, people, and ideas.”
He said Zimbabwe’s foreign policy is a trade facilitation policy that serves the national interests while being mindful of the interests of other countries, guided by the principle of being friends to all and an enemy to none.
Online Reporter