Staff Writer
President Emmerson Mnangagwa says trade and investment efforts are key drivers for economic development in realising sustainable economic growth and improving health services in light of emerging global pandemics.
Speaking at Zimbabwe-Rwanda Trade and Investment Conference in Harare this week, President Mnangagwa called on stakeholders to accelerate the implementation of mutual programmes and projects toward improving the standard and quality of life of the people of Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
“The conference gives impetus to our quest to strengthen our commercial ties and accelerate the implementation of mutual programmes and projects toward improving the standard and quality of life of the people of Rwanda and Zimbabwe,” President Mnangagwa said.
The conference organised by ZimTrade and the Rwanda Development Board ran under the theme “Explore, Invest, Export”.
President Mnngagwa pledged to create a conducive environment to business and opportunities for trade and investment and commended the cordial and fraternal excellent relationship between the two countries that he said was a harbinger to spur business growth.
He urged ZimTrade and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) to increase trade flow volumes between the two nations with an emphasis on trading particularly goods made in Rwanda and Zimbabwe. He said the two governments should improve the ease of doing business environment for economic players.
Allan Majuru, the Chief Executive Officer of ZimTrade said the conference is in line with the National Development Strategy (NDS1) with one of its key deliverables based on diversifying exports.
“We target to grow exports by 10 percent every year until 2023 in pursuit of reaching US$7 billion through trading services and value-added goods and services. In Rwanda we generated business of up to US$10 million last year. We signed an MOU last year in March that has culminated in this conference. Other are MOUs coming. In 2021 we got deals to export chilli to Rwanda. Zimbabwean small-scale farmers are set to benefit. On the other hand, a local electrical company, CAFCA, is exporting cables to Rwanda. Teachers’ Furniture is also ready to export furniture to Rwanda,” Mr. Majuru said.
He alluded to a partnership between ZimTrade and the Dutch Embassy in Chimanimani in which the latter certifies pineapples grown organically by smallholder farmers for export to the Netherlands. Initially, the pineapples were sold at 20 cents per kg but now costs 70 cents per kg when exported.
The Government of Rwanda works very closely with Zimbabwe on a range of opportunities that are mutually beneficial for both countries. These areas include trade and investments, infrastructure, energy, civil aviation among others.
Zephanie Niyonkuru, the RDB Deputy Chief Executive Officer said his organisation received companies from Zimbabwe that registered their businesses including one that is involved in manufacturing of irrigation equipment.
“Our Ministry of Educaton has registered tangible progresses regarding recruitment of teachers, and a coffee roasting company from Rwanda started exporting roasted coffee to Zimbabwe.
“On the side of services, a specific case includes a film production company from Zimbabwe called Meso Maviri, led by Ms Tariro Washe, and the company is currently collaborating with Rwanda Development Board, and other partners across Africa in the production of Africanda, a multinational collaborative film project with a three -pronged objective, namely: to promote Pan African ideologies through intentional storytelling, to showcase Africa as a film and tourism destination, and finally to showcase the skills of African filmmakers,” Niyonkuru said.
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