News / National
Mnangagwa meets Zimbabwean professionals in Rwanda
20 Mar 2018 at 08:46hrs | Views
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has met Zimbabwean professionals living in Rwanda.
The professionals were drawn from various sectors including aviation, education and ICTs.
Introducing him before the gathering the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Dr Sibusiso Moyo spoke about the long path that President Mnangagwa has travelled from fighting for independence, his service as a personal assistant to former President Robert Mugabe and the agricultural revolution that he spearheaded leading to the country getting surplus food last season and how he has set his mind to attaining economic freedom in Zimbabwe and for the continent as a whole.
Dr Moyo said the new dispensation is introducing a new culture of hardwork and love for one another as a people.
The President told the gathering the country is embracing all and not forgetting those who stood with Zimbabwe.
Cde Mnangagwa said money has no colour and the government will partner all who respect Zimbabwe as a country and that the government is now re-engaging to grow the economy and create a middle class society by 2030.
He said the country introduced command agriculture in Zimbabwe so that it will never import food or grain again.
He also said Zimbabwe is recrafting the diamond sector to ensure the country derives maximum benefit from the resource.
"We need a model on how platinum can also be extracted for maximum benefit of the Zimbabwean people. Investors are therefore being invited to invest in agriculture – in value addition or production, and mining of the resources," said Cde Mnangagwa.
The President also said business in the industrial sector is still low with capacity utilisation of about 15 percent and there is need to retool.
In the area of infrastructure development, he said there is need for high quality roads that will compete with neighbours like South Africa and Zambia but it's being hampered by inadequate funding.
He said government has come up with different funding modes to build the infrastructure.
President Mnangagwa said work is underway to revamp NRZ which is down to 4 million tonnes from 18 million at the height its operations.
He noted that Zimbabwe also needs a new port as the volume of goods that need to be moved via Beira are increasing.
Zimbabwe needs to do more to increase its energy needs and the President said he is going to lobby the Chinese to help with the Batoka Gorge hydro power project.
"The country should have adequate energy in two to three years time if all the plans go well," he said.
Zimbabwe has also eased the visa requirements to prove the flow of tourists into the country.
He said his message to those in the diaspora is that 'home is home'.
"We cannot any more live in the past, bygones are bygones if we wronged you come home. We want Zimbabwe to be a country you are proud of and where talent is rewarded," said President Mnangagwa.
The President said he will soon meet war veterans, civil servants and other groups, saying everyone should know they are remembered with their various contributions to the country.
He also spoke about the meetings he has had with various sectors – the church, business and other groups and stressed the need for hard work among government ministers and civil service.
"No one should be left behind let's move together," the President said.
One of the diasporans said government and industry should interact for the economy to move forward.
He said he would be a happy man to depart from the stage after having straightened out things and modernising the country.
Cde Mnangagwa said forestry has a lot to contribute to economic growth and called on government to do something to arrest forest depletion.
The diasporans also highlighted the need to use solar energy to complement hydro energy.
On the issue of improving the health sector, Cde Mnangagwa said government is working on establishing state of-the-art hospitals for Harare and Bulawayo to help the people of Zimbabwe.
"There should be a clinic in every ward to help communities. Many Zimbabweans are going to India for treatment, and this has to be addressed," he said.
The President urged diasporans to organise themselves into groups and channel their interests in an organised manner to help government incorporate their contributions to economic growth and develop Zimbabwe.
He said the government has set a special quota for women in parliament adding that the period has to be extended after the 10 years as women are still far from being empowered.
The professionals were drawn from various sectors including aviation, education and ICTs.
Introducing him before the gathering the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Dr Sibusiso Moyo spoke about the long path that President Mnangagwa has travelled from fighting for independence, his service as a personal assistant to former President Robert Mugabe and the agricultural revolution that he spearheaded leading to the country getting surplus food last season and how he has set his mind to attaining economic freedom in Zimbabwe and for the continent as a whole.
Dr Moyo said the new dispensation is introducing a new culture of hardwork and love for one another as a people.
The President told the gathering the country is embracing all and not forgetting those who stood with Zimbabwe.
Cde Mnangagwa said money has no colour and the government will partner all who respect Zimbabwe as a country and that the government is now re-engaging to grow the economy and create a middle class society by 2030.
He said the country introduced command agriculture in Zimbabwe so that it will never import food or grain again.
He also said Zimbabwe is recrafting the diamond sector to ensure the country derives maximum benefit from the resource.
"We need a model on how platinum can also be extracted for maximum benefit of the Zimbabwean people. Investors are therefore being invited to invest in agriculture – in value addition or production, and mining of the resources," said Cde Mnangagwa.
The President also said business in the industrial sector is still low with capacity utilisation of about 15 percent and there is need to retool.
In the area of infrastructure development, he said there is need for high quality roads that will compete with neighbours like South Africa and Zambia but it's being hampered by inadequate funding.
He said government has come up with different funding modes to build the infrastructure.
President Mnangagwa said work is underway to revamp NRZ which is down to 4 million tonnes from 18 million at the height its operations.
He noted that Zimbabwe also needs a new port as the volume of goods that need to be moved via Beira are increasing.
Zimbabwe needs to do more to increase its energy needs and the President said he is going to lobby the Chinese to help with the Batoka Gorge hydro power project.
"The country should have adequate energy in two to three years time if all the plans go well," he said.
Zimbabwe has also eased the visa requirements to prove the flow of tourists into the country.
He said his message to those in the diaspora is that 'home is home'.
"We cannot any more live in the past, bygones are bygones if we wronged you come home. We want Zimbabwe to be a country you are proud of and where talent is rewarded," said President Mnangagwa.
The President said he will soon meet war veterans, civil servants and other groups, saying everyone should know they are remembered with their various contributions to the country.
He also spoke about the meetings he has had with various sectors – the church, business and other groups and stressed the need for hard work among government ministers and civil service.
"No one should be left behind let's move together," the President said.
One of the diasporans said government and industry should interact for the economy to move forward.
He said he would be a happy man to depart from the stage after having straightened out things and modernising the country.
Cde Mnangagwa said forestry has a lot to contribute to economic growth and called on government to do something to arrest forest depletion.
The diasporans also highlighted the need to use solar energy to complement hydro energy.
On the issue of improving the health sector, Cde Mnangagwa said government is working on establishing state of-the-art hospitals for Harare and Bulawayo to help the people of Zimbabwe.
"There should be a clinic in every ward to help communities. Many Zimbabweans are going to India for treatment, and this has to be addressed," he said.
The President urged diasporans to organise themselves into groups and channel their interests in an organised manner to help government incorporate their contributions to economic growth and develop Zimbabwe.
He said the government has set a special quota for women in parliament adding that the period has to be extended after the 10 years as women are still far from being empowered.
Source - zbc
