Despite the harsh economic environment, Zimbabwe remains one of the best countries in the world to do business with, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
Addressing captains of industries at a symposium on the Ease of Doing Business in the capital, Vice President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe’s climate as well as the hospitality offered by the Zimbabwean people can go a long way in luring Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) which is critical for economic growth.
“We have the best climate in Africa, we have the most hospitable people in the world, let’s use that to our advantage to attract foreigners to invest in our country.
Let’s come up with strategies that can lure those in the diaspora to want to do business with us,” said Mnangagwa.
He added that it is imperative to accelerate the rate at which the country attracts FDI but urged corporates to desist from being obsessed with chasing rankings in terms of having the most investors.
He said this will put the country at risk of engaging investors who will in turn dupe the country of its resources.
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“In as much as we are trying to lure investors in our country, there are some who will take advantage of our vulnerability. Those should be carefully looked out for as they pose a danger of extorting our resources and in the process we deprive our people the chance to utilize their God given resources.”
VP Mnangagwa said government remains committed to working with the youths and women in formulating business growth strategies so as enhance the Ease of doing business.
He pointed out that youths and women remain the backbone of the economy and they should be incorporated in every aspect of the economic. He challenged them to be active in nation building.
Vice President Mnangagwa also underscored the need to have an E-government platform which he said if fully implemented can improve access, efficiency and affordable services through the adoption Information Communication Technology.
He added that Zimbabwe’s economic challenges require vast knowledge on the use of new and improved ICTs hence the need to quickly embrace them.
“We are convinced that ICTs play a major role in our quest to improve the ease of doing business. Through technology, we are guaranteed better service delivery and enhanced efficiency which transfers to better productivity. So we want all government institutions to start investing in ICTs,” he said, adding that Zimbabwe is still far away from achieving a better Ease of doing business platform as compared to other African countries.
On dealing with corruption, he sent a warning to perpetrators saying that they risk facing the wrath of the law as stringent measures are being put place to do away with the scourge.
“We have put in place a National Code Of Corporate Governance which ensures a broad legislative framework to reduce corruption,” he said. He added that Zimbabwe has the capacity to be among the 10 best performing economies on the continent if people come together to fight corruption.
Meanwhile, Zimpapers Group Chairman, Mr. Delmar Lupepe said the media remains a tool which can promote business growth in the country.
He urged media organizations both in the public and private sector to come together and map the way forward for economic growth.
“The media remains a powerful tool that can be used to put in place sustainable business growth strategies. Therefore, I urge all media institutions and media players to play their part in promoting the ease to do business so as to achieve our target of attracting Foreign Investors,” said Lupepe.
