ZIMBABWE’s economic growth and development inspire confidence not just in the country, but the region and the continent as a whole, Botswana President Duma Boko has said.
Officially opening the 66th Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) here yesterday, President Boko said the world is watching as President Mnangagwa steers Zimbabwe towards not just sustainable but inclusive economic growth.
“This growth, this phenomenal growth of the economy, inspires confidence, not just in our country but in the region. And ultimately, we hope it will inspire confidence in our continent, the African continent. I assure you, Your Excellency (President Mnangagwa), the world is watching,” he said.
Anchored by mining and agriculture, Zimbabwe’s economy is currently experiencing a boom, with 7,5 percent GDP growth in 2025, which included recovery from a drought, outperforming most regional peers.
The growth is projected to remain strong at approximately 5 percent in 2026 as the country pursues its “Vision 2030” goal of becoming an upper-middle-income nation.
President Boko said it was evident that Zimbabwe’s growth was translating into tangible improvements in the lives of the most disadvantaged in society.
“Growth that translates into real transformation in the lives of those on the downside of society, those subsisting at the margin, those living right of exilic marginality in poverty. We trust that this economy will grow for them as well, that they are truly included in this growth,” he said.
President Mnangagwa, Botswana President Duma Gideon Boko, Tourism Patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi (left) and Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira (behind Minister Rwodzi) listen to a captivating introduction to some traditional dishes during a tour of Amai’s Gastronomy Kitchen at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo yesterday
As neighbours, President Boko said Botswana and Zimbabwe shared more than just a border but history, culture and a collective vision for a prosperous and integrated Africa.
“I need not remind you of the supreme sacrifices that you made in your quest to liberate your country from the clutches of colonialism.
“You bled, we bled right along with you. You suffered, we suffered with you. We share a strong affinity forged from the trenches of struggle, an affinity born from that collective suffering that we all have to bear.
“We are much stronger because of all that we have gone through and we mention these things not for recrimination; we mention them so that we are not atemporal and ahistorical as we continue to make these forward strides and remind ourselves of the painful history through which we all went,” he said.
President Boko said this year’s theme, “Connected Economies, Competitive Industries”, reminded the two countries that while national ambition was essential, regional cooperation was indispensable as the region worked towards the realisation of the full benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
“And we must leverage each other’s strengths in developing regional and global value chains. I extend my praises and commendations to the organisers of the ZITF, who are successfully hosting the 66th edition of this important event.
“Africa has made and is making commendable strides and progress in establishing frameworks for economic integration,” he said.
Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga is welcomed by Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda (centre) on arrival at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo yesterday. Also present is Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube (left) and ZITF board chairman Dr Busisa Moyo (second from right)
On the relatively low trade cooperation in SADC and the continent, at large, the Botswana President said there was scope for improvement.
“We must candidly acknowledge that intra-African trade remains at a disproportionately low level of 15 percent. We are not trading with each other at all in instances, or we are not trading with each other enough,” he said.
As such, President Boko rallied the region to transition from “frameworks to function, from agreement to action, from word to deed”.
“We must move ourselves in this tormented passage from where we are now as a continent, with volumes of 15 percent of intra-Africa trade, to where we ought to be with more trade, more depth in our connections and economic affinities.
“In this increasingly volatile global environment, our continued reliance on imported commodities renders our economies vulnerable to heterogeneous shocks,” he said.
President Boko echoed President Mnangagwa’s recurring message that Africa must leverage its abundant natural resources to develop competitive, value-added industries, creating jobs, fostering innovation and strengthening economic resilience.
“Our success as individual countries and the success of our continent will depend on the level, the scope, and the depth and seriousness of innovation.
“We must, therefore, move Africa from being a supplier of raw materials, a continent on which all is carted away in the raw, into a global centre of value creation.
“This requires deliberate investment in sectors such as mining, beneficiation, agro-processing, renewable energy, manufacturing, tourism and the digital economy. This is a knowledge age, a knowledge economy,” he said.
Vice President Dr Kembo Mohadi greets Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Edgar Moyo at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair yesterday, while the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Dr Anxious Masuka (centre) gestures
President Boko said deploying capital, mobilising it and putting it to work in support of innovation was an urgent imperative, as were technology-responsive interventions and initiatives.
Towards this end, he said, during the fifth session of the Bi-National Commission in Harare on Wednesday, both he and President Mnangagwa jointly acknowledged the need to collectively dismantle persistent barriers to trade and investment.
“We must remove, and remove as a matter of urgency, all non-tariff barriers such as customs and border inefficiencies, regulatory misalignment, administrative bottlenecks and infrastructure deficits that continue to inflate the cost of doing business.
“We have committed to decisive action, not only within our bilateral framework but also in alignment with our obligations under the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement.
“Botswana is actively advancing infrastructure development, surface infrastructure, roads and rail, and air transportation infrastructure, so that we enhance our connectivity and facilitate seamless trade across the region,” said President Boko.
He said it was heartening to note that the region was now shifting to the new and latest non-stop border post.
“We must move with the times, make it easy, make it funky, make it enjoyable to move across, that’s what we must do, and have a lot of fun while doing it, serve with style and a smile,” said President Boko.
He commended the 18 companies from Botswana exhibiting at the fair, saying this was “a great testament to the enduring bonds of friendship that subsist between these two countries”.
Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications) Mr George Charamba (right) greets Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Zhemu Soda (second from left) while Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka (left) looks on at ZITF yesterday
During his tour of ZITF stands together with President Mnangagwa, they visited several exhibits, including the Geo Pomona Waste Management stand, the ZANU PF Hall, the Botswana exhibitions, the Japanese Embassy, and the European Union in Zimbabwe, among others.
In an interview after the tour, President Boko said he had been encouraged by the youth’s involvement in economic growth initiatives.
“You can see that our people are up and coming, and young persons are also involved in tech and artificial intelligence, which shows that we are not just now mere purveyors of knowledge, we are generators of knowledge as well, and making world-class products. We are moving forward . . .” he said.
Also in attendance at the official opening, alongside President Boko and President Mnangagwa, were First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, Vice Presidents Dr Constantino Chiwenga and Dr Kembo Mohadi, Cabinet ministers, service chiefs, members of the diplomatic corps, ZANU PF Politburo and Central Committee members, and senior Government officials, among others.
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