The Sunday News
Lawson Mabhena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has addressed the World Governments Summit in Dubai, UAE where he outlined how Zimbabwe has re-imagined its systems, policies, and education to keep up in a “rapidly changing world.”
The World Governments Summit taking place under the theme: “Shaping Future Governments,” is a platform to identify innovative solutions for future challenges.
The summit involves governments, international organizations, thought leaders, and private sector leaders from around the globe.
Addressing the Summit, President Mnangagwa said while no country is immune to global challenges, Zimbabwe’s problems were compounded by illegal Western sanctions.
“The world continues to witness shifting geo-politics; climate change induced poverty and natural disasters as well as high debt burdens and supply chain disruptions. No country is immune from food and energy insecurity, inflation pressures and the slowdown in the global economy. Meanwhile, the opportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the need for regulated Artificial Intelligence give impetus to the need to re-imagine how societies are governed and economies managed.
“Since the advent of the Second Republic, in 2018, the Government of Zimbabwe has implemented multi- pronged strategies for sustainable development, economic growth and a higher quality of life that leaves no one and no place behind.
“Due to the illegal sanctions imposed on our country, Zimbabwe has no lines of credit from International Financial Institutions. Instead of burying our heads in the sand, we resolved to be innovative and leverage our domestic resources to drive a sustainable, realistic and achievable people-centred development agenda. Our National Vison and National Development Strategy outlines the national strategic objective being the realisation of an upper middle-income economy by 2030,” the President said.
Over the period 2021 and 2023, Zimbabwe experienced a strong economic growth rate averaging 6.8 percent to become the fastest-growing economy in the Southern African region.
As a result of innovative policies, the agricultural sector grew by 4.1 percent in 2020, 17.5 percent in 2021 and 6.2 percent in 2022.
“Resultantly, Zimbabwe is now food secure and one of the two countries in Africa which has realised wheat self-sufficiency. This firm foundation has resulted in export growth, enhanced agro-industrialisation, increased employment and a higher standards of living for the predominantly rural population,” President Mnangagwa said.
The World Government Summit ends tomorrow and in between sessions, President Mnangagwa has a tight schedule as he is meeting UAE government officials and potential investors.
