eBusiness Weekly
Munyaradzi Musiiwa
MIDLANDS – A high-powered delegation from German is expected in the country this month as Berlin and Harare continue to strengthen ties.
This follows a recent visit by German Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development Dr Gerd Müller to Harare in August.
German was wooed by President Mnangagwa’s engagement and reengagement policy which has opened a new chapter in the country’s relations with the world.
In an interview in Gweru last week, German Ambassador to Zimbabwe Dr Thorsten Hutter said the visiting delegation will discuss among other issues reengagement and establish bilateral relations.
Dr Hutter said German Chancellor Angela Merkel was keen to reengage Zimbabwe and assist in its economic recovery.
“We had a visit by our minister for economic cooperation and development at the end of August. He met with the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) and the ministers of foreign affairs and Finance.
He also met with the leader of the opposition.
He, like our Chancellor (Angela Merkel) and other visitors whom we are going to have in the month of November will try to explain that we are ready to reengage but there are needs that need to be based on decision by the Government which needs to be taken now,” he said.
Dr Hutter said Zimbabwe should implement tough and painful economic reforms that also include reining in the runaway budget.
He said there was need for Harare to make important and sustainable decisions.
“These are tough decisions, painful which include issues to do with the runaway budget and budget deficit which needs to be reined in otherwise it would be very hard for Zimbabwe Government to maintain services.
“We are willing to reengage with Zimbabwe but there is a saying in English that it takes two to tangle. So we hope that the Government of Zimbabwe understands the need to take important and sustainable decisions,” he said.
President Mnangagwa has maintained an open door policy through his Zimbabwe is open for business mantra that has seen the country attracting more investors mainly into the mining and energy sectors.
President Mnangagwa has projected that the country will be a middle-income economy with a gross domestic product per capita income of $3500.
So far Government has laid a very solid foundation towards achieving that.
