Govt to intensify diaspora engagement efforts | The Herald February 25, 2016
Government is intensifying efforts to engage diasporans in an attempt to attract more foreign direct investment by lining up diaspora engagement conferences in South Africa, Australia and United Kingdom to engage more than 3 million Zimbabweans resident in those countries.
In an interview, Macroeconomic Planning and Investment Promotion Minister Dr Obert Mpofu said his ministry will be engaging diasporans in the UK, South Africa and Australia starting from next month. Diasporans contribute an average of $1,5 billion annually in remittances.
Cabinet is expected to adopt the National Diaspora Policy to Cabinet which was presented to Cabinet late last year. The policy among other issues is meant to encourage diasporans to invest back home.
Minister Mpofu said it is a good thing for the diasporans to work together with the Government to attract FDI.
“It is a good thing that our brothers and sisters who are in the diapora are willing to work with us for the good of our country,
“We are in the process of visiting most capitals where Zimbabweans reside so that we can see how best they can invest back home.”
Minister Mpofu said Government is encouraging diasporans to invest back home.
Chairman of the newly formed Zimbabweans In the Diaspora Organisation Mr Blessed Kapesa said diasporans play a very critical role in attracting FDIs and Government’s initiative to engage was most welcome.
“There is big potential for financial benefit to Zimbabwe because the diaspora market is still untapped.
“We are talking in terms of millions considering people here are the gross contributors in the remittances realised per year.”
The organisation is expected to be officially launched in the United Kingdom in April.
Government has already partnered International Labour Organisation which has enormous experience in encouraging diasporans to invest back home to their countries.
Mr Kapesa said ZIDO is set to engage Zimbabweans in the United Kingdom and the whole of Europe.
“This is an open call to all Zimbabweans in Europe who possess common bonds and business interests regardless of race, tribe, gender, political affiliation, religion or job status; the event promises to be a diverse and beneficial networking opportunity for all.
“Full disclosure on the ZIDO key elements that include financial service, marketing and networking, educational services and event management will be under the spotlight.
“This is also an open call to reputable speakers and marketing executives to come and present their different policies and investment opportunities to the diaspora market. These would include areas like housing and property developments, insurance, mining, agriculture, education and the like,” he said.
The National Diaspora Policy was formulated under the country’s economic blue print Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio Economic Transformation (ZIMASSET) which encourages investments and remittances from the diaspora.
Last year Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Patrick Zhuwao emphasised that diasporans should be Zimbabwe’s biggest foreign direct investment contributors.
Minister Zhuwao went on to estimate that over $50 billion could be realised if investment from 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora was properly channelled.
COMMENTS
You won’t get a single cent from me
Is that the reason why you are destroying the country , so that you get support from pple who you forced to leave the country.You are not even ashamed of what is coming from your rotten mouth, you destroyers, thieves and murderers.Shame on you.
Diaspora cannot vote, diaspora has no say in the running of the country.
It would be foolish for anyone in diaspora to be tricked by these guys.
Now that the diamonds are running out, the regime wants to engage the diaspora.
First of all let the diaspora vote.
It’s only zanu pf apologists, planted by the regime to spy on innocent people in the diaspora, who will attend to Obert’s intended wasteful crusades. Actually, Chinamasa will just cement his reputation as a dull finance Minister should he avail money for Mpofu & his bunch of crusaders to waste the much needed cash on such worthless attempts.
People in the diaspora are by and large knowledgeable. They should not be equated to some illiterate old people in so far rural area of Zimbabwe who can be fooled by zanu pf thieves again & again. Zanu pf should just wake up & smell the coffee – and just realize that targeting diaspora for their thievery crusades will never work.
Anyway; why should Obert not start by explaining to us what happened to all other zanu pf initiatives to the diasporans, including the infamous Gono-championed HomeLink? Nxaaaaa!
This is an open call to all Zimbabweans in Europe who possess common bonds and business interests regardless of race, tribe, gender, political affiliation, religion or job status; the event promises to be a diverse and beneficial networking opportunity for all.NOTE THIS IS A TRAP TO HOOD WINK THE BLIND.
ALL EXCEPT WHITES INVESTING IN FARMING THIS IS A JOKE.
ONLY BLACK INYANGAS WELCOME CASE IN POINT????????
OBERT YOU NEED TO GET AUTHORIZATION FOR MOP HEAD AND BUTCHER BOB????
What a sad joke. They dare now want money from the people that they discarded as rubbish.
Many of my close relatives were murdered in the Mugabe planned and executed pogrom which they now call Gukurahundi. Even that name makes me speechless with anger! Mugabe now tries to hide behind a claim that it was his moment of madness. But he has had too many moments of madness for which he, and his cohorts, must now pay the penalty…in either this world or the world hereinafter.
I will never ever reconcile with Zanupf for what they did to my family and I will never ever forgive them. As for sending money home…I always have to find a way to send money in a way that the Zanupf Government can never benefit in any way from my sacrifice.
I agree with others- why wanting to use diaspora for their own gain- first and foremost let this government know we are also people – let them tell us why we cant even have a simple and straight forward dual citizenship if they consider us part of Zimbabwe – without that forget I will also not invest a penny in Zimbabwe –
The first order of business for the new Government would be to throw all these thugs in jail Smith should never have let Bob Matibili AK MUGABE out of jail what a big mistake that was.
6 million lives were destroyed by this mob. Now they expect these citizens to give money? THEY ARE SURELY SMOKING BAD CRACK.
ZIMBABWE HAS SEEN THE LARGEST MIGRATION (ITS CITIZENS) IN HISTORY.
Forex from DIASPORANS who look after old pple in foreign land is not good 4 Zimbabwe.But my biggest query is Is there anythin wrong with di foreign govts lookin after di welfare of their own pple???OLD PPLE
This is a serious sign of desperation. kkkkkk. You want the diaspora to contribute and then snatch what they bring? You even snatch from one another and you also want to attract FDI. But you are self-sufficient! No no no You are thieves and robbers who are just hungry. Who are these diasporans? People you chased from the country who are now citizens and permanent residents of the new world. Is it not too little too late. Haulume!