By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
Bulawayo – The European Union returns to the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo for the fourth consecutive year, presenting a unified and expanded presence under the Team Europe banner.
This year’s pavilion brings together the European Union Delegation and a record number of EU Member States—including contributions from France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, and Denmark representing European member states, European businesses, cultural institutes and implementing partners of various #TeamEurope projects underway in Zimbabwe.
This year’s ZITF theme, “Connected Economies, Competitive Industries,” serves as a natural reflection of the deep-rooted economic ties between Zimbabwe and the European Union.
These strong economic ties are anchored by the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which provides a solid framework for trade and investment, creating clear complementarities between our markets.
This is most visible in the agricultural sector, where the EU remains Zimbabwe’s primary buyer of horticultural produce, currently absorbing over 40% of the country’s total exports, including blueberries, oranges, mange-tout peas, and sugar snap peas.
Highlighting the strength of these ties, EU Ambassador Katrin Hagemann stated: “Our partnership delivers real results. With trade reaching USD 919 million last year, we are closing in on the USD 1 billion mark—driving jobs and growth.
It is a truly win-win relationship: Zimbabwean producers are gaining ground in the European market—the world’s leading trading bloc—while European technology and machinery are boosting the competitiveness of Zimbabwe’s economy and notably local value addition.”
This momentum is reflected in the European Union’s return to the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, reaffirming our commitment to “an inclusive and sustainable partnership,” Between Zimbabwe and the EU.
This partnership is not a static goal, but a living commitment to mutual growth in which government and public bodies, the private sector, and civil society work side-by-side to shape a shared future.
A key pillar of this partnership is the EPA, in force since 2012, which grants Zimbabwean exporters duty-free, quota-free access to all 27 EU Member States.
While Zimbabwe currently enjoys a positive trade balance of USD 328 million, significant untapped potential remains, as only around 200 Zimbabwean companies are currently registered to export to the EU.
To accompany businesses on this journey, the EU is launching a €7.8 million capacity-building project specifically in support of the export horticulture sector.
Beyond trade, the EU continues to show its long-term commitment to growing investments in the private sector through intermediate lending facilities.
The total amount of financing extended to Zimbabwean commercial banks by EU financial institutions—the European Investment Bank (EIB) and PROPARCO—over the past five years amounts to over USD 100 million.
These credit facilities, provided to banks such as CABS, FCB, NMB, and Stanbic, are a prime example of collective efforts to create jobs, promote financial inclusion, and contribute to sustainable economic growth.
This structured engagement is central to the EU’s approach under its Global Gateway initiative, which also supports critical infrastructure like the rehabilitation of the Kariba Dam to safeguard the country’s energy security and transition toward a greener economy.
This support is reinforced by a broad partnership across multiple sectors including agriculture, climate action, biodiversity, women and youth empowerment and governance.
Because conservation and people-centered development must go hand in hand, the EU increasingly implements these efforts through an integrated, landscape-based approach in selected geographic areas.
By focusing on the relationship between people and their environment, this approach maximizes impact for biodiversity while empowering youth and women as key drivers of resilient local economies.
Further collaboration in health, culture, and gender equality complements this overall engagement, ensuring that development is both inclusive and sustainable.
At ZITF 2026, the Team Europe Pavilion serves as a dynamic hub for exchange and a common space that offers a snapshot of the partnership in action, featuring a diverse array of European companies and EU-funded projects spanning climate-smart agriculture, youth empowerment, and education—including the Erasmus+ program and the Team Europe Youth Sounding Board.
Beyond showcasing these collaborations, the stand provides a practical platform for businesses, entrepreneurs, and youth to access specialized information on export requirements, technical assistance, and support for agricultural machinery imports.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore and learn more about the ongoing “SILANI, TINEMI, EU WITH YOU” communication campaign, which brings the story of the EU-Zimbabwe partnership to life.
The #TeamEurope Pavilion remains a premier destination for strengthening trade and investment links. We invite all visitors to our stand in Hall 4 of the ZITF in Bulawayo to explore these offerings and discover how the EU is accompanying Zimbabwe toward its ambition of becoming an upper-middle-income society by 2030.
Entities and projects present at the EU stand at 2026 ZITF:
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