Zim, China embrace cultural exchange

Mutsawashe Mashandure and Gloria Muruva

The Government’s Rural Development 8.0 model encompasses many of these multiple approaches, she told the first Harare Forum for Africa and Academic Week, which is running under the theme: “Mutual learning between Chinese and Zimbabwean civilisations and rural development cooperation”.

Minister Mutsvangwa said the platform provided Zimbabwe and China a unique opportunity to develop new synergies for cooperation, cultural exchange and the rejuvenation of rural economies.

“With the mutual interchange of ideas and their modification and adoption being key to sustainable growth, it is expected that this forum works as a catalyst for positive interaction and cooperation for both countries,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.

Government was implementing programmes supporting women in rural areas.

“My ministry is supporting the development and sustainable growth of rural-based livelihoods and enterprises. Women, communities, cooperatives and micro, small and medium enterprises domiciled in the rural areas are being assisted with sustainable financing, capacity building initiatives and market linkage support,” she said.

Minister Mutsvangwa said the Harare Forum for Africa would enable the upholding of the country’s values.

“In this era of globalisation and improved information technology infrastructure, learning and the exchange of ideas and experiences has become easier to realise.

“With China’s economic growth experience over the past few decades being noteworthy, we look forward as a nation to tapping into the best practices used, as we look to grow our culture-based value chains and accelerate the progress of rural development. It will be through platforms such as the Harare Forum for Africa that this can come to fruition,” she said.

Minister Mutsvangwa said the Government was administering a number of programmes to feed into the cultural promotion matrix.

These included the Women in Tourism programme, which was part of the broad-based women economic empowerment initiative.

With culture and tourism moving hand in glove, the ministry was supporting women entrepreneurs and innovators in the tourism sector, including those involved in the production of local cultural artefacts and services such as local hospitality and cuisine.

“I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to the organisers of the Forum and Academic Week for coming up with this programme that has strong elements that are supportive of the realisation of women’s empowerment, community and micro, small and medium enterprises development, which are key programming areas that my ministry supervises.

“The full realisation of these three thematic areas is key to our pursuit of the nation’s vision set out by President Mnangagwa, which looks to achieve a prosperous and upper-middle income society by 2030,” she said.