US-Africa Summit an opportunity for Zimbabwe
Hosia Mviringi
As preparations reach an advanced stage for this year’s edition of the US-Africa Summit, Zimbabwe relishes an opportunity to be part of this annual symposium which brings Africa closer to the biggest economy in the world.
“This Summit is an important opportunity to engage with African leaders on shared commitments on respecting human rights and strengthening democratic institutions. As we have in other settings, we will discuss issues of concern and areas where we have disagreements,” said the Whitehouse National Security Council.
Zimbabwe has deliberately accepted the invitation to participate in this year’s deliberations even when the US government still maintains a travel ban on Zimbabwean senior government officials, including the President and Head of State Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa.
In his State of the Nation address at the new Parliament building in Mt Hampden on November 23, 2022, President Mnangagwa set the tone when he welcomed the invitation for the country to participate at this year’s US-Africa Summit.
“Our country welcomes the invitation to attend the US-Africa Summit in December, 2022 and
emphasis remains on dialogue and multilateralism as the best option to resolve today’s global challenges,” he said.
The gesture is expected to bolster the country’s commitment to engage and re-engage with all countries including those that still maintain a hostile attitude towards Harare.
Contrary to the argument that Zimbabwe’s invitation is without sincerity for as long as the President is under sanctions, Government of Zimbabwe carefully considered it and found merit in attending. Government indeed considers it as the first of many steps necessary for the normalisation of relations between Washington and Harare.
For Zimbabwe, the invitation is on it’s own a big victory for the country’s engagement and re-engagement drive which seeks to re-establish political and trade ties with former allies, including those that still maintain sanctions on the country.
Zimbabwe welcomes investors from the US as they bring investment diversity, while at the same time increasing investor competition and appetite for Zimbabwe as a viable investment destination.
On the other hand, access to the US market is very exporter’s dream as the US presents one of the biggest and most consistent markets for targeted products. The US used to be one of the biggest source markets for Zimbabwean tourism, while it’s citizens rank among big spenders. Therefore, such opportunities cannot be ignored.
By accepting the invitation to participate, Zimbabwe is simply walking the talk, especially when considering the President’s mantra of being ” friend to all, enemy to none”. When the President presents the country as ‘Open for business’, he does not discriminate against any sections of the global community. The country welcomes business from all over the world, including from the US.
The US-Africa Summit among other things discusses trade and investment opportunities that lie between the geopolitical regions, democracy, combating terrorism and climate change. Zimbabwe’s attendance at this year’s edition is particularly significant as the country is also making steady progress towards it’s quest to re-join the Commonwealth, a grouping of 56 countries that share similar economic aspirations.
According to a statement from the US State Department, among many side events to the Summit will be a Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) forum will host a private sector led discussion to explore key themes around the climate discussion in Africa. The purpose of the discussion will be to explore partnerships that grow markets and expand opportunities for U.S. investment in Africa while advancing climate resiliency across key sectors in the region.
The discussion will also explore initiatives that deliver growth and work to combat the effects of climate change. Areas of discussion will include: Protection of rainforest in the Congo Basin, Carbon capture and carbon credits, Climate Financing and the Circular Economy. Invited guests include the private sector, African delegations, the United State government, non-governmental organizations and international organizations.
The BCIU will seek to explore ways to guarantee food security in the wake of supply chain disruptions as a result of the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war.
The discussion will also focus on how the private sector can collaborate with governments through private public partnerships (PPPs) collaboration in healthcare delivery especially in the wake if the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is without a doubt that Zimbabwe’s participation at the US-Africa Summit, coupled with it’s imminent re-joining of the Commonwealth will be in Zimbabwe’s best interests as the country’s products will be exposed to a broader and bigger geographical market, this earning the much needed foreign currency.
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