Zimbabwe launches investment handbook

THE Government has launched the "Invest in Zimbabwe Handbook 2017", which provides information to guide potential investors in different economic sectors.

The handbook becomes a major investment and promotion tool for investors aimed at boosting local and foreign direct investment.

The Minister of Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion, Dr Obert Mpofu, said the handbook would provide up to date and accurate information about the investment environment in Zimbabwe.

"We have launched the Invest in Zimbabwe Handbook, which is a dictionary of investment in Zimbabwe as it provides investment information to guide potential investors in different economic sectors. The handbook was launched yesterday (Monday) and so far there has been positive euphoria and I think this explains the handbook was long overdue," he said.

Dr Mpofu said the handbook was being dispatched to all the country's embassies across the globe for easy accessibility to potential investors.

"We have also dispatched the handbook even to foreign embassies that have asked for it. There has been overwhelming response from different stakeholders asking for that handbook. For example, the Speaker of Parliament has requested 400 copies and about 3 000 enquiries have been made," he said, adding that the handbook would go a long way in pursuing the aggressive marketing of investment opportunities in the country.

It is hoped that the investment handbook, which comprises seven sections detailing investment and policy measures such as Special Economic Zones, will simplify the task of explaining to investors opportunities available in the country.

Dr Mpofu said his ministry was also planning to host a high profile investment conference later this year as part of efforts to aggressively market investment opportunities in Zimbabwe.

He said the Government, through his ministry, would this year embark on an aggressive programme to market the country's vast investment opportunities to achieve an investment level of 25 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The Ministry of Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion targets to uplift Zimbabwe's investment inflows to competitive levels with regional countries.