HARARE - Elsewhere we report that Zimbabwe is ready to normalise relations with Denmark and the European Union (EU).
The EU has already warmed up to President Robert Mugabe’s
administration which, slowly but surely is beginning to mellow after years of obstinacy and bickering with the West and its key allies in Scandinavian countries and the United States.
Yesterday the Danes committed $20 million for infrastructure
development in Zimbabwe and Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa summed it up perfectly.
“What is significant is not the $20 million we are getting from
Denmark but the fact that Denmark and Zimbabwe are finding each other,” Chinamasa said.
“Our desire is to restore the economic and political relations to the levels they were before the land reform programme.”
Well spoken minister!
However, Chinamasa and indeed his colleagues must build on the current momentum to attract investors and like-minded groups who are keen to be part of Zimbabwe’s economic recovery.
There are considerable positives on the ground that suggest Zimbabwe’s leadership is prepared to weave its way back to old relations which Chinamasa rightly reminds us of.
Mugabe and Zanu PF are seized with refining and amending the indigenisation law to woo investors who remain doubtful of Zimbabwe’s attitude towards them.
What is needed is for policy consistency that helps build confidence.
The biggest problem that Zimbabwe faces is that of a bad perception and the resultant lack of confidence.
Capital is timid and those who own it need clear cut policies that are attractive and secure their investments.
What Zanu PF and government need is to spell out the changes and leave those laws affected by changes in the hands of the Zimbabwe Investment Authority (ZIA).
Mugabe and colleagues must not continue to be synonymous with policies that suffer stillbirth as a result of political control.
Instead, ZIA should be left to implement policies conceived at a
political and governance level.
Once a relevant minister has given a policy direction it must be left to ZIA to implement what is contained in the policy.
Zimbabwe remains part of the world and right now needs to make the right economic noises to emerge from the current shackles.
It is a country rich in people and resources.
Why should it rank among basket cases when its human and mineral resources are in demand?
The answers lie with us and the politicians. So let’s build on the current momentum!