The Sunday News
Harare Bureau
ZIMBABWE is in line to clinch new economic deals with China, as the high-level Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (Focac), which is the premier engagement platform between the world’s second largest economy and the continent’s 55 countries, opens in Dakar, Senegal tomorrow.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Frederick Shava will lead Zimbabwe’s delegation at the two-day summit, which ends on Tuesday. Since the first Focac summit was held in 2000, Zimbabwe has sealed several deals amounting to billions of dollars from the conference.
This year’s Focac summit will chart the course of relations between China and Africa for the next three years.
In an interview with our Harare Bureau, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Mr Livit Mugejo, said Focac presents a massive opportunity for Zimbabwe to further enhance the strong ties between Harare and Beijing.
“Already, Zimbabwe has benefitted from several projects that directly came out of Focac, which include the expansion of Hwange Thermal Power Station, Kariba South hydro-electric expansion project, Victoria Falls Airport, Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and the construction of the new Parliament building which is still underway. China remains a strategic partner of Zimbabwe in the health sector through donations of vaccines, rehabilitation of Wilkins Infectious Diseases hospital and the construction of Mahusekwa Clinic,” he said.
Speaking to journalists in Beijing ahead of the summit on Friday, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, Mr Zhao Lijian, said this year’s conference will take stock of progress on deals signed at the last Focac held in Beijing in 2018. He said the summit aims to “deepen China-Africa mutual trust and elevate practical co-operation.”
