News / National
Obert Mpofu says 'Its time to correct Zimbabwe's image'
03 May 2017 at 16:58hrs | Views
Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion Minister, Dr Obert Mpofu says the Zimbabwean delegation at the 27th World Economic Forum for Africa has a role to correct the negative perception being painted by detractors against the country that it has a collapsed economy.
In an interview with the ZBC News in Durban, Dr Mpofu said it is wrong for the detractors to put Zimbabwe in the same category with countries that are in the highly indebted poor countries category (HIPPC), as Zimbabwe has abundant natural resources and minerals to sustain its economy.
He said the world should know that Zimbabwe, which has been reeling under the yoke of sanctions for over 15 years, has managed to keep afloat against all those odds.
He said the detractors, who have not been inviting Zimbabwe to participate in the forum, are surprised how the country has made it when they thought it would not last for six months after the imposition of sanctions.
President Robert Mugabe has been chosen as the key note speaker at the forum on behalf of those fragile countries that include Somalia, South Sudan, Chad and the Central African Republic.
"Zimbabwe under President Mugabe has come up with several homegrown policies that have enabled the country to survive and grow the economy. These include the Special Economic Zones, ZIMASSET, Ten point Plan and the ease of doing business and the diaspora policy, which have received overwhelming positive response and huge fruits," said Dr Mpofu.
The president will address the 27th World Economic Forum on Africa on Thursday morning.
He said the world has a lot to learn from Zimbabwe's homegrown policies, a stance that is being promoted in the region at a time when external investment is hard to come by.
In an interview with the ZBC News in Durban, Dr Mpofu said it is wrong for the detractors to put Zimbabwe in the same category with countries that are in the highly indebted poor countries category (HIPPC), as Zimbabwe has abundant natural resources and minerals to sustain its economy.
He said the world should know that Zimbabwe, which has been reeling under the yoke of sanctions for over 15 years, has managed to keep afloat against all those odds.
He said the detractors, who have not been inviting Zimbabwe to participate in the forum, are surprised how the country has made it when they thought it would not last for six months after the imposition of sanctions.
President Robert Mugabe has been chosen as the key note speaker at the forum on behalf of those fragile countries that include Somalia, South Sudan, Chad and the Central African Republic.
"Zimbabwe under President Mugabe has come up with several homegrown policies that have enabled the country to survive and grow the economy. These include the Special Economic Zones, ZIMASSET, Ten point Plan and the ease of doing business and the diaspora policy, which have received overwhelming positive response and huge fruits," said Dr Mpofu.
The president will address the 27th World Economic Forum on Africa on Thursday morning.
He said the world has a lot to learn from Zimbabwe's homegrown policies, a stance that is being promoted in the region at a time when external investment is hard to come by.
Source - zbc
