Morale booster for Zimbabwe military

Officials from a Chinese company met Vice President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday and deliberated on how conditions of service of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces could be improved, particularly in the area of accommodation.

Speaking after meeting the delegation from the CNBM International E-Commerce Corporation in Harare yesterday, VP Chiwenga, who is also Minister of Defence, said the ZDF and CNBM enjoyed cordial relations.

He said the visit by the delegation was aimed at exploring areas of further cooperation.

"They have been looking at what they can do to our Defence Forces and how we can build those relations further and this is why they are here," said VP Chiwenga.

CNBM general manager Mr Kent Ma said they were excited to work with the Defence Forces in rebuilding the economy of Zimbabwe.

"We are happy that we have a chance to do something for Zimbabwe's economy," he said. "We are also happy to cooperate with the CDF (Commander Defence Forces) and I think it will be a long-term cooperation and beneficial for the Zimbabwe people."

The relationship between CNBM and the ZDF dates back to 2013 when the two institutions signed an agreement on strategic cooperation and reached a consensus on construction of military housing projects.

The CNBM has successfully worked on similar housing projects in Zambia and has shown interest in working with African countries, particularly those along China's Belt and Road Initiative.

A number of Chinese firms have expressed interest in investing in Zimbabwe. Recently, a 60-member delegation of Chinese government and private business organisations from Zhejiang Province visited Zimbabwe to explore business opportunities.