The European Union (EU) is ready for constructive engagement with Zimbabwe and to increase further investment in the private sector.
This was said by the EU’s new ambassador to Zimbabwe, Jobst von Kirchmann when he presented his credentials to President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday.
Von Kirchmann replaced outgoing ambassador Timo Olkkonen, who served between 2018 and 2022.
Addressing journalists in Harare, Von Kirchmann said the EU was currently Zimbabwe’s fourth biggest trading partner and will support the southern African country in its quest to become a middle-income country by 2030. He said:
My mission is clearly targeting constructive engagement with Zimbabwe.
… I think Zimbabwe has a very ambitious vision, the vision is the National Development Strategy 1 which wants to bring Zimbabwe towards an inclusive, empowered and prosperous middle-income country by 2030.
I think not only the European Union but also the member states of the EU stand ready to support it.
We have about 125 million euros of investment currently in the country which creates jobs obviously and I am happy that our bank, the European Investment Bank has opened a credit facility for the private sector.
I just had a meeting with them last week to see how we can enlarge that facility in the future, and also increase further investment in the private sector.
The EU imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe in solidarity with Britain after Zimbabwe compulsorily acquired white-owned farms and some protected by BIPPAs to resettle landless blacks.
But after Britain exited the EU, the European bloc and Zimbabwe have since entered into formal dialogue to normalise relations. | New Ziana