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Lovemore Mataire Senior Reporter
President Mugabe is expected to open the Global Small and Medium Enterprises exposition which begins at Rainbow Towers in Harare today. The expo is expected to promote synergies between Zimbabwean and Iranian companies within the framework of the 8th Zimbabwe-Iran Joint Commission which began on Tuesday.

Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Joey Bimha yesterday said the expo is being held within the framework of the understanding between Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development led by Minister Sithembiso Nyoni and her Iranian counterpart.

“We welcome and encourage the regular participation by Iranian companies at the editions of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, as part of efforts to promote trade between our two countries.

“It is in this same spirit that we appreciate your country’s presence at the International Small and Medium Enterprises Expo currently underway,” said Ambassador Bimha.

At least 28 companies are participating at the expo aimed at establishing stable and sustainable relations for the two countries to find common ground on various bilateral, economic, social and political issues.

Zimbabwe and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation between upcoming businesses and potential investors from the Middle East country.

The decision to forge cooperation comes after delegations from the two countries made successful visits to the respective countries over the last five months.

In October last year, a 14-member delegation from Zimbabwe led by Cde Nyoni visited Iran on a fact-finding mission.

It is envisaged that since SMEs are a new economy in the country, Iran can offer a lot of advice on how to harness it since the country went through the same phase of economic sanctions and managed to adopt and nurture them into large corporations.

According to the draft Memorandum of Understanding on Handicrafts and Cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Zimbabwe, the parties pledged to strengthen and develop their cooperation in the field of handicrafts, based on the principles of bona fide (Good will) and full equity.

Article 1 of the MOU states that: “The parties shall endeavour to participate in holding of handicrafts exhibitions, and festivals reciprocally in the international handicrafts fair in the two countries and provide necessary facilities in this regard.”

Relations between Iran and Zimbabwe have grown stronger following the adoption by Government of the Look East policy at the inception of the 21st century.

Both countries have supported each other at international fora with Zimbabwe opening an embassy in Teheran in 2003.