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Deals signed by President Mnangagwa during his tour of four nations in Eurasia recently came at the right time, as Zimbabwe pursues Vision 2030, which requires a new paradigm in the developmental agenda if it is going to be achieved.

We believe that what the country needs urgently is the revival of the production sector to help quickly achieve Vision 2030, which entails becoming an upper middle income country.

That is why we notice that the President’s visit to Eurasia came timely, as most of the deals he signed in the four nations he toured were to do with production.

Zimbabwe is set to get more machinery and the latest technology from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan to help its production sector to come back on line.

This sharp departure from previous development models in which the country was after importing cash in the form of loans is most welcome as it will enable the country to be able to fend for its own needs.

Increase in local production will ensure that the country is able to feed itself, while exporting surplus to bring in the much needed foreign currency. President Mnangagwa’s tour of the four countries has also helped debunk the long-held misleading notion that development can only take place with the involvement of Western countries.

For decades, there has been spirited efforts to discredit countries from other regions like Eurasia, despite that many of them have made vast leaps and bounds in their internal developmental agendas.

The discrediting is just Western propaganda, which is unjustified, and aimed at enhancing the hegemony perpetuated by Western countries in world affairs. Thanks to President Mnangagwa’s tour, we now know that there are other alternative and willing development partners for countries like Zimbabwe, a complete departure from the usual narrative about economic development prescriptions from Western countries.

An important lesson driven from the President’s trip to Eurasia is that it is time to look elsewhere for alternative development models, instead of pursuing failed scripts.

It is clear that the 1945 multilateral settlement is running out of steam, and is no longer representative, and no longer with the financial means to provide the resources for addressing global concerns. By going to Eurasia, President Mnangagwa is exploring fresh ground in international affairs for the benefit of Zimbabwe’s developmental aspirations. What Zimbabwe needs now is not the regurgitation of an economic development model that has proved futile in the past.

Our development agenda should move away from seeking financial bail-outs propagated by Western institutions like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Importation of machinery and technology will help us open new frontiers in the exploitation of our natural resources. Belarus has an elaborate programme to provide mining and agricultural machinery to Zimbabwe, which will enable the country to increase its production capacity in the two sectors. The machinery and technology will enhance beneficiation and value addition to the agricultural and mining sector.

The important sectors of mining, agriculture, transport and logistics, industrial manufacturing, education and training and infrastructure development will have new fortunes following the President’s visit to Eurasia.

A US$267 million package for Great Dyke Investments (GDI) to immediately start production-related works on their platinum claims in Darwendale was signed in Russia.

Also in Russia, Alrosa, the world’s biggest diamond producer, reached an agreement to start core operations in Zimbabwe, with a huge investment in the offing. Agriculture-related agreements were also sealed in Russia.

In Azerbaijan, President Mnangagwa explored co-operation in oil and gas. The areas of cooperation discussed in Kazakhstan had to do with agriculture, mining, transport and logistics, industrial manufacturing and infrastructure development.

These deals will help modernise the local economy in line with Vision 2030, bringing lasting benefits to the country.