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Mnangagwa's 'open for business' mantra not enough, says India envoy
27 Sep 2018 at 07:09hrs | Views
INDIA has urged the Zimbabwean government to implement policies that attract investment, saying President Emerson Mnangagwa's "Zimbabwe is open for business" mantra is not enough to lure foreign investors.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the on-going Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) annual congress in Bulawayo, Indian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Rungsung Masakui, said government needed to do more to attract investors.
"The perception about the Zimbabwean business environment is changing very fast. Let me tell you very frankly, when Indian businesspeople come here, they are very impressed with the people. The people are good, the environment is good, the weather is good. I think they love the country," Masakui said.
"But when it comes to business, it's about the conducive environment of business, whether it is easy to do business here. You are talking of ease of doing business. The government has taken serious steps and measures to correct it and make the environment much more conducive. So it all depends on the policy of the government."
He said they had been appealing to government to make the business environment more conducive.
"By just saying Zimbabwe is open for business alone does not bring in businesses from across the world to come and do business here. But it has to be supported by action, which is correction of the policies," Masakui said.
Since taking over as President, first in November last year following the forced resignation of former President Robert Mugabe, and after winning the July 30 elections, Mnangagwa has been running with the mantra that "Zimbabwe is open for business" and calling on Western businesses to invest in the country.
Government is also working on setting up a one-stop centre, which will facilitate all business applications under one roof instead of sending investors from one ministry to the other.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the on-going Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) annual congress in Bulawayo, Indian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Rungsung Masakui, said government needed to do more to attract investors.
"The perception about the Zimbabwean business environment is changing very fast. Let me tell you very frankly, when Indian businesspeople come here, they are very impressed with the people. The people are good, the environment is good, the weather is good. I think they love the country," Masakui said.
"But when it comes to business, it's about the conducive environment of business, whether it is easy to do business here. You are talking of ease of doing business. The government has taken serious steps and measures to correct it and make the environment much more conducive. So it all depends on the policy of the government."
"By just saying Zimbabwe is open for business alone does not bring in businesses from across the world to come and do business here. But it has to be supported by action, which is correction of the policies," Masakui said.
Since taking over as President, first in November last year following the forced resignation of former President Robert Mugabe, and after winning the July 30 elections, Mnangagwa has been running with the mantra that "Zimbabwe is open for business" and calling on Western businesses to invest in the country.
Government is also working on setting up a one-stop centre, which will facilitate all business applications under one roof instead of sending investors from one ministry to the other.
Source - newsday
