Online Reporter
Tichaona Zindoga, Correspondent
The recent 65th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) had some significance and symbolisms that would be hard to escape the attention of global watchers.
The exhibition, founded in 1960 under the name Central African Trade Fair, when Zimbabwe was still known as Southern Rhodesia, took place over six days, in the second city of Bulawayo. An accomplished trade event that has taken its stead on the national calendar, over the years, ZITF has evolved into a showcase of global and local trade, as well as culture. The fair has also carried a significant political baggage — which has equally evolved.
This year’s showpiece, hosting more than 600 exhibitors from 28 countries — including economic heavyweights like China, the European Union and the United States — alongside a strong contingent of African nations.
The fair carried some strong symbolism for the world, even when it may not have registered on the Richter Scale of some global media. That may be forgiven.
Zimbabwe is a relatively small player in global trade and economics — much of the current stature, owing to an under-exploited potential for a country that has, among other endowments, an out sized share of global mineral and human resources, as well as being a top tobacco producer.
Although smaller compared to other fairs on the continent such as Cairo (1 000 000+ visitors) and Lagos (200 000+ visitors), ZITF stands out for its diverse, policy-driven focus on industrialisation, SDGs and regional trade integration. It also remains a top-five African trade fair, notable for its sustainability agenda and growing Sino-African trade ties.
The event saw participation from countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union, marking a significant step in Zimbabwe’s re-engagement policy.
In some key highlights of the event, President Mnangagwa toured the US Embassy, in what was a huge diplomatic statement amid efforts to normalise relations with the world’s super-power, which has imposed sanctions on the country for about a quarter of a century.
At the same time, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga toured the stand of Zimbabwe’s “all-weather friend”, China, and he was welcomed by Chinese Ambassador, Zhou Ding.
The optics and the politics were good: perhaps the best they have been in years; in part mirroring the opportunities that are prevalent at this crucial moment in history, when there are significant changes unseen in a century, as one global leader has stated.
Guest of Honour, Mozambican President Daniel Chapo, represented a strong African identity, which has historical roots and increasing significance of inter-Africa trade. Chapo, while highlighting political, economic and cultural ties between Mozambique and Zimbabwe, describing the two nations as “sister countries” with a shared history and future; and urged the importance of unity to drive industrialisation and economic growth, urging joint efforts to unlock the natural resource wealth of both countries, including Zimbabwe’s lithium and gold and Mozambique’s gas and minerals.
On African intercontinental trade, President Chapo underscored the significance of regional integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), advocating for stronger co-operation to enhance trade and investment across Africa. He praised ongoing regional infrastructure projects like the Beira Corridor, a vital trade link between Mozambique and Zimbabwe, as critical to boosting commercial relations and economic development
Mozambique recently embarked on a new phase of regional trade under AfCFTA, aiming to boost intra-African commerce by eliminating tariffs on 90% of goods. Mozambique’s Beira port, a gateway for landlocked neighbours like Zimbabwe and Zambia, epitomises how infrastructure and trade policy can integrate African markets into global value chains .
Economic globalisation ain’t dead
The timing was also great, some kind of a gift from the gods.
The ZITF took place at a time when US President Donald Trump marked 100 days in office, which have been a tumult of chaos underlined by the imposition of tariffs on trading partners globally, resulting in major disruptions, now portending a recession.
The International Monetary Fund, for example, has slashed global growth forecasts, warning of stagflation risks as import costs surge. In the US, consumers face higher prices on everything from electronics to automobiles, while American farmers and manufacturers are staring losing access to foreign markets due to retaliatory measures.
The contrast between ZITF’s collaborative spirit and Trump’s zero-sum approach could not be clearer.
In a way, ZITF was a rebuttal of the protectionism and de-globalisation pursued by Trump, as Zimbabwe underlined that economic globalisation is not dead. Countries need each other; and perhaps now more than ever, as countries outside of the US have since realised.
As Zimbabwe hosted representatives of business and countries, the strategy to involve all major geo-economic and political powers including the US and China – and the willingness to engage on the part of the latter — is significant and could point to a broader global reality: economic co-operation and multilateralism is arguably more resilient than the mercurial administration of Trump in the White House.
Chinese Ambassador Zhou captured this crisis poignantly.
“While some nations resort to trade barriers and weaponise tariffs, China stands firm in defending not only its own interests, but also the rules-based multilateral trading system,” he said during an address at the International Business Conference side event.
He added: “China, together with the majority of international community, believes that protectionism and arbitrary tariffs pose grave challenges to global economic growth, particularly for developing countries. Just as the UN Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) recently underscored, these tariffs undermine economic efficiency, diminish the benefits of trade and weaken competitiveness, ultimately putting jobs at risk worldwide, thereby affecting the most vulnerable countries the hardest.
“Amid the headwinds of unilateralism and protectionism, China’s doors will remain wide open to Zimbabwe and all other nations committed to shared prosperity.”
To the credit of China, dozens of Chinese companies exhibited at the fair, underlining both the strong bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and China, which has created an enabling environment for business to flourish.
A tour of the fair revealed that Chinese companies were the majority foreign-linked exhibitors at the show, while a huge number of local companies showcased products and services with links to Chinese technology including machinery for industry, agriculture and mining, solar products and digital technologies. Both local and Chinese companies underscored the need to build synergies to advance economic progress.
China also showcased some unique contributions to Zimbabwe’s socio-economic well-being with exhibition of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Agriculture Expert Group, which is conducting agricultural demonstration sites in the country, deploying technologies that are key to helping rural people and alleviate poverty. During interviews conducted among Chinese companies, they expressed enthusiasm on the prospects of the Zimbabwean market.
Zimbabwe, like many other countries of the world, have become an important destination for high-quality Chinese goods in light of the tariffs instituted by the US. Currently, Chinese goods attract up to 145 percent tariffs in the US, pending talks to bring them down between the two sides.
In essence, no relationship was more prominently featured at ZITF than that between Zimbabwe and China. The Asian giant’s presence further highlighted its role as a stabiliser in global supply chains.
Coincidentally, ZITF took place at the time when China was hosting the Canton Fair, also known as the China Import and Export Fair — a premier international trade event held biannually in Guangzhou city.
The Canton Fair, which attracts over 24 000 Chinese and international exhibitors and 200 000 visitors from 200 countries, demonstrates China’s commitment to open global trade, providing a platform for businesses worldwide to connect with Chinese suppliers and manufacturers. This approach contrasts with the protectionist policies implemented during the Trump administration, such as tariffs on Chinese goods.
In contrast to the Trump tariff policy, the Canton Fair represents China’s efforts to, promote international trade co-operation, foster global economic growth and encourage cultural exchange and understanding. These values appear non-existent in Trump’s book.
This writer is aware of a number of Zimbabwean entrepreneurs, who made the opposite trip to China for the Canton Fair, demonstrating the vitality of economic globalisation.
It will endure for a long time to come.
Zindoga is the director of Ruzivo Media and Resource Centre, a local think tank that analyses local and global issues.
