One of Zimbabwe’s most pressing tasks is to patch up trade and diplomatic relations with the outside world – and President Emmerson Mnangagwa has set his sights on China first. China was one of the first few countries that reached out to the new president right after his inauguration late last year to offer support. He is expected to visit China in April this year to work out “more areas of cooperation”, according to a statement by the Zimbabwean presidency. Speaking at a business forum meeting in Windhoek, Namibia last week, Mnangawa – who urged Zimbabweans living in Namibia to consider relocating back home – highlighted that his country had singled out China as one of Zimbabwe’s biggest export markets. “We are working towards brokering an agreement that would see small poultry producing businesses in Zimbabwe exporting their chicken to China, among many other deals in the pipeline,” he said. “There has been goodwill from across the world, so many delegates coming to Zimbabwe with various proposals. Our people are ready to move and rebuild.” The first loan agreement the new government signed in December last year was for a $153-million facility with China to expand and refurbish its international airport in Harare as it seeks to attract investors and tourists. Minister of Finance, Patrick Chinamasa, said at the time that the airport project was one of the signs that the country was “serious” about reshaping its economy. He acknowledged that the country had failed to repay China for previous loans. But he said Beijing was still willing to deal with Zimbabwe. “The Chinese government understands the economic situation we are going through,” he said. “We’re under sanctions and had no lines of credit coming into the country. This is why we call them ‘all-weather friends’.”
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There has been goodwill from across the world. – Pres. Emmerson Mnangagwa
