Zimbabwe remains unbowed, says Mugabe

ZIMBABWE has done its best to keep its economy afloat over the 15 years it has been under illegal Western sanctions, President Mugabe has said. Contributing to discussions at the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development here yesterday, President Mugabe said Harare had introduced various mitigation measures, among them Zim Asset.

"In spite of sanctions, we in Zimbabwe have tried our best to grapple with our economy, and we have adopted a home-grown economic development blueprint, which we call the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio Economic Transformation (Zim Asset) which runs up to 2018," said President Mugabe.

"Under this framework, we envisage attaining accelerated and sustainable economic growth and development by empowering our people through judicious exploitation and beneficiation of our natural resources, and we hope this also is currently the position in the rest of Africa."

President Mugabe said Sadc had an economic blueprint focused on industrialisation running from 2015 to 2030.

He hailed Afro-Japanese relations, saying: "Let me conclude by once again emphasising that this partnership between Africa and Japan is of intrinsic importance to both sides and is both our duty to ensure that this forum flourishes. It's my sincere hope that this historical summit held on African soil will set new heights for Japan and Africa co-operation.

"We need Japanese help and I am sure Japan also needs resources from us so long our union, long live our development agenda. We hope that Japan in its aid programme will take account of these initiatives and these programmes that have been adopted by countries individually and by regions together and also by our African continent."

President Mugabe said the Ticad VI theme, "Advancing Africa's Sustainable Development Agenda - Ticad Partnership for Prosperity", resonated with Africa's development agenda.

"It captures the great aspirations and goals of our continent with our Japanese partners. Also, of equal importance is its symbiotic relationship with the continental agenda 2063 which is Africa's cornerstone development effort.

"Let me, on the onset, point out that structural economic transformation is a painful process through which any country seeks transformation change to its economic model. Such economic transformation is intended to achieve growth and development."

Ticad VI was organised by the government of Japan, the United Nations Office of the Special Advisor on Africa, the UN Development Programme, the African Union and the World Bank.

Focus is on promoting structural economic transformation through diversification and industrialisation, resilient health systems for quality life and social stability for shared prosperity.