Mnangagwa secures UAE deals for Kariba, Mt Hampden

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has returned from a working visit to the United Arab Emirates after securing investment commitments in real estate and maritime transport, with the deals expected to support the development of the planned Mt Hampden smart city and the restoration of water transport on Lake Kariba.

The UAE engagement came as Zimbabwe seeks to address transport challenges in Kariba following last month's ferry disaster, which claimed 97 lives and disrupted movement for communities dependent on fishing, trade and other economic activities across the lake.

Deputy Chief Secretary for Presidential Communications George Charamba described the visit as "very productive" and "fruitful", saying the President's engagements focused on attracting investment into Mt Hampden and leveraging the UAE's shipbuilding expertise to improve maritime transport.

He said a key outcome was Mnangagwa's meeting with Mohamed Alabbar, founder of Emaar Properties and one of the UAE's leading real estate developers.

Presidential Investment Advisor Paul Tungwarara facilitated the meeting.

"The key objectives in that quiet visit were two, firstly to mobilise real estate interest in anticipation of the construction phase of Mount Hampden City and secondly, to look at possibilities of benefiting from UAE's shipbuilding expertise to acquire boats and ferries for maritime traffic, particularly in Kariba," Charamba said.

He said Alabbar had committed to becoming involved in the Mt Hampden project and was expected to visit Zimbabwe in September for further discussions.

"Slowly and thanks to advisor, I think Mount Hampden will begin to take a very concrete form in keeping with the objectives of Vision 2030," Charamba said.

Mt Hampden is one of the Government's flagship urban development projects under its Vision 2030 agenda, which seeks to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy.

Meanwhile, Mnangagwa assigned Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Martin Rushwaya and a team of senior officials to explore options for acquiring vessels from the UAE to restore transport services on Lake Kariba.

Charamba said officials assessed various vessels, focusing on safety, cargo and passenger capacity, as well as refrigeration facilities required to support communities whose livelihoods depend heavily on fishing.

The initial vessels are expected to carry up to 40 passengers and cargo, but officials discovered that purpose-built ferries could take at least nine months to deliver.

Given the urgency facing communities on both sides of the lake, Zimbabwe negotiated for temporary vessels to be manufactured locally as a stopgap measure while more advanced ferries are built.

"That was granted. Then the waiting period will become bearable for us. We are looking at vessels which can carry up to 40 passengers and with cargo capacity," Charamba said.

In the longer term, Zimbabwe plans to acquire larger ferries capable of carrying more than 600 passengers, with two vessels being considered to meet demand and improve safety.

Charamba said the Government also intends to use the Kariba initiative as a model for developing maritime transport across other Zimbabwean water bodies.

"We looked beyond Kariba and said, well, if that formula can work for Kariba, then it can be replicated in almost all our water bodies, which remain largely underserved, if not undeveloped," he said.

"This is the beginning of a major investment in our water bodies so that they are made passable and they are also enhanced for purposes of economic activity."

The President's visit also provided an opportunity for Zimbabwe to assess investment appetite in the UAE, with Charamba saying the response from potential investors was encouraging.

Mnangagwa returned to Zimbabwe last night following the visit.