European Union (EU) ambassador to Zimbabwe Jobst von Kirchmann has said there is still a negative perception about the southern African country that needs to be addressed to gain investor confidence from businesses in the EU.
Kirchmann said investors from the EU consider predictability, the state of infrastructure, and the ease of doing business, among other factors.
He made the remarks on Thursday at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) business conference. Kirchmann said:
The trade agreement we have is underused; there is room for more investment and l think that’s also what Zimbabwe wants.
I hear we are open for business and there is a lot in the National Development Strategy 1.
As the EU, we would like Zimbabwe to succeed in that ambition…when I ask companies in Europe, I must say there is still a negative perception of Zimbabwe, which I think is important to work on.
Investors are looking for predictability, they want to know what they are getting themselves into; good infrastructure, a way to carry out financial transactions easily, and access to finance.
The EU is an important market for Zimbabwean exports, accounting for a significant proportion of the country’s total export earnings.
Zimbabwe exports agricultural products such as tobacco, fresh produce (such as flowers and vegetables), and raw materials like minerals, as well as textiles, clothing, and footwear.
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