Zimbabwe is open for investment

Zimbabwe's minister for Industry has  told investors that Zimbabwe is "open and  safe for your investment."

Minister Mike Bimha was speaking at the Zimbabwe Trade and Investment Forum in London Tuesday.

Mr Bimha said he was using his twenty-year-experience as an executive in the private sector to support business as a minister.

He said his priority was to ensure that: "conditions in Zimbabwe are conducive to secure foreign direct investment, reduce cost of doing business and improve the ease of doing business."

He said the Government of Zimbabwe was in the process of setting up a National Competitiveness Commission to look at: "What needs to be done to support businesses."

A standing committee is also being formed at cabinet level to link and work with the commission.

Mr Bimha invited investors to take advantage of the "numerous opportunities" that Zimbabwe offers.

"There are so many opportunities in sectors ranging from power, agriculture, tourism, mining and information technology."

He said his ministry was seeking urgent investment to revive the Cold Storage Commission, that used to export beef to Europe, and industrial parks.

He said his ministry was working on introducing legislation to support export processing zones and "Private-Public-Partnerships."

Mr Bimha invited the Diaspora to engage government too.
"Our Diaspora must tell us what incentives they want in order to come and invest at home."  

Mr Bimha is on a two day visit to London with a delegation that includes private sector leaders.