Nick Mangwana — Perm Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services
"Zimbabwe is a friend to all and an enemy of none. Flourishing relationships are being forged based on mutual respect, shared values and win-win benefits."
This statement by His Excellency President Mnangagwa on the occasion of the 44th Independence Day celebrations so accurately captures the country's foreign policy under the Second Republic. Indeed, everywhere one turns, evidence abounds of the success of the Engagement and Re-Engagement policy.
Since assuming office in 2017, President Mnangagwa has made significant strides in re-engaging the international community and promoting economic development in Zimbabwe.
His engagement and re-engagement efforts have yielded impressive results, positioning the country for sustainable growth and prosperity.
The engagement and re-engagement agenda had clear outcomes from the onset; chart new relationships, rebuild broken ones and consolidated subsisting ones. And within the space of a few years, the fruits are tangible.
The thrust of the engagement and re-engagement agenda is to forge relationships that would bring the much needed foreign direct investment, mobilise the diaspora and develop both commercial and political ties which help increase the country's foreign trade.
Let us look at what has been achieved in Zimbabwe's trade thus far.
From 2017 to 2022, Zimbabwe's exports realised a growth of a whopping 89 percent.
The main exports of Zimbabwe's commodities and goods were to South Africa, United Arab Emirates and China.
What were we exporting? The reader may ask. Well, the answer is simple; natural or cultured pearls, ores, nickels and tobacco to name a few.
This indicates that Zimbabwe has opened more markets for its goods, which at home, translates to the country having created more jobs for its citizens.
The exponential rise in exports continues as the revenue realised between January and December 2023 stands at US$7,22 billion, which is a 9,7 percent increase on the US$6,59 realised in 2022.
It would be a distortion to just give the statistics for exports without addressing the issue of a burgeoning import bill because that also speaks of exported jobs.
While the word "trade" denotes that one is also buying at the same time they are selling, Zimbabwe still experiences an annual trade deficit of about US$2 billion.
That needs to be addressed.
We are still importing about US$3,5 billion of goods from South Africa.
Our shelves indicate that Zimbabwean products are now dominating our pantries therefore one hopes that most of our imports are capital items to create more jobs for Zimbabwean youths.
There is no doubt that we have certainly greatly improved on our trade with all credit going to the policy which declared Zimbabwe as Open for Business.
How about the country's relationship with multilateral institutions?
Let us start with our own region, that of SADC and the continental body, the African Union.
One of the major milestone achievements during the period under review was to manage to make the issue of illegal sanctions a regional and continental issue, giving more impetus to the campaign to have the heinous Unilateral Coercive Measures removed.
SADC declared October 25 of each year a SADC Day.
At the United Nations General Assembly, the region and other African countries have been berating the evil sanctions regime against our country.
This has seen the scaling down of sanctions by the European Union and the United States of America.
Notwithstanding, Zimbabwe has not shifted its stance on the evil sanctions. As long as the Head of State and his family are on sanctions then our country remains on sanctions.
Not a single Zimbabwean needs to be on any evil list and not a single Zimbabwean entity deserves to be on any list. It is that simple.
The country's engagement with neighbouring nations and regional blocs like SADC and the African Union has strengthened relations, fostering cooperation and trade.
As part of its aggressive diplomatic efforts, Zimbabwe has fought hard to have its nationals on key multilateral organisations.
The country has invested material and institutional support so that its nationals are placed where key decisions are being made.
This is because it has been proved that nationals working in multilateral organisations tend to promote their own country's perspective on the global state.
Their strategic placement where global policies and decisions are being made can have a lot of benefits to the home country.
Zimbabwe has been quite successful in leveraging on its good relations with other countries to gain their backing of its nationals' bids.
Chief Senator Charumbira has twice won the elections to be president of the Pan African Parliament.
Zimbabwe successfully supported Dr Cosmas Zavazava's bid to be Director of the Telecommunications Development Bureau at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), while former Permanent Secretary Dr Judith Kateera was sworn in as Deputy Executive Secretary for Corporate Affairs at SADC.
The country support was guided by His Excellency, the President's desire to tap into global expertise, resources and network for the benefit of the country.
Those nationals who were supported by the country to be where they are should never forget the nation has expectations. They are Zimbabweans first.
Still on the Diplomatic Front, the relationship between Zimbabwe and China was upgraded to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership following a State visit by His Excellency to that country in 2018.
Meanwhile, in November 2021, President Mnangagwa undertook the first visit by a Zimbabwean Head of State to the United Kingdom in over 25 years, when he attended the COP26 Climate Change Summit.
Zimbabwe has also been invited to participate at major international events such as the EU-Africa Summit in 2022, the US-Africa Summit in 2022 and the Coronation of King Charles in 2023.
This writer would have loved to really go into the issues around rejoining the Commonwealth, but does not want to jinx the good news on the horizon.
Further, new Diplomatic Missions have been opened in Belarus, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Minsk, Equatorial Guinea, Malabo and a consulate in Dubai, among others.
Added to these great inroads in breaking diplomatic barriers, it is important to highlight that one of the notable achievements of the Second Republic is the re-establishment of relations with international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
Zimbabwe no longer owes any money to the IMF.
She is indebted to other international institutions and creditors.
President Mnangagwa established the Structured Dialogue Platform in December 2022 to deal with the issue of Zimbabwe's arrears clearance. Once a platform like this is in place, it means that nothing is insurmountable. Crucial conversations are being held!
Turning to Foreign Direct Investment, there are many success stories which would require bigger space than this column to articulate. Allow me therefore to touch on the most emphatic one so far.
One cannot talk of FDI in Zimbabwe without talking of the flagship US$1,5 billion investment by Dinson Iron and Steel Company (DISCO) which is located in Manhize Village in Chirumanzu.
This project is not only creating thousands of jobs locally and other trickle down positive effects, it is also going to save Zimbabwe US$500 million in steel imports.
A lot more companies have come to invest in Zimbabwe particularly in the mining and manufacturing sectors. There are more companies working on old mines like Mhangura Copper Mine, Kamativi Mine and many more.
Moreover, the President's "Zimbabwe is Open for Business" mantra has resonated globally, attracting tourists and investors alike.
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The country's rich cultural heritage and natural wonders are being showcased, promoting tourism and associated economic benefits.
That Zimbabwe is no longer an international pariah is very much evident in this sector. Zimbabwe has become a tourist destination of choice for many a celebrity.
Here we are talking of international A-listers such as Sir Richard Branson, Will Smith, the FIFA President Mr Gianni Infantino to mention just a few.
A study carried out by one Ivana Markovic et al showed that celebrity endorsement encourages other people to visit the endorsed destination.
Celebrities can endorse a destination by simply visiting it and get a few photos taken and posted on their social sites.
This is exactly what the above mentioned celebrities did.
This did not only ignite a lot more interest in our country but also gave the correct image of a country which is normal and on the up and up. Zimbabwe's previously battered international image is being rehabilitated.
Important to note is that it is not only tourists now flocking to Zimbabwe as the "host of the moment". The country has hosted and is set to host several high-profile regional and international forums. To name a few;
Zimbabwe is set to host;
The 44th SADC Summit in August this year
The Nordic-Africa Foreign Ministers Meeting in 2025
The first ever United Nations Tourism Africa Gastronomy Forum this year
Does one need more explicit proof of the growing confidence in Zimbabwe, regionally and internationally?
While challenges persist, the Second Republic's Engagement and Re-engagement efforts have undoubtedly put Zimbabwe on a positive trajectory.
President Mnangagwa and his Administration's commitment to economic reform and international cooperation is laudable, and the country is poised for continued progress and growth.
