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Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe’s investment-luring drive has attracted the attention of Indian capital and business leaders with fund managers expected to start visiting in search of opportunities, the Indian Ambassador to Zimbabwe has said.

Ambassador Mr Rangsung Masakui said investors from his country are mainly interested in the mining, renewable energy and manufacturing sectors.

President Mnangagwa has already said the mining sector together with agriculture will form the backbone on which Zimbabwe will build Vision 2030.

In the energy sector Zimbabwe has huge potential and Government through the recently adopted energy policy underlines the importance of this sector.

Government is also on record as saying whilst the extractive sector and the primary produce is key, Zimbabwe will also need to expedite its industrialisation in the quest to attain upper middle income economy by 2030.

Ambassador Masakui said the recently adopted policy by the Second Republic has attracted investors from his country, whom he expects to start visiting soon after the Covid-19 interruption.

“The Zimbabwe is open for business has really attracted Indian investors and they are coming in to look for areas they can invest mainly in the mining sector, solar sector, manufacturing.

“So those are the main areas where our investors are coming in. I think in the coming months once this Covid-19 situation improves, once the business environment in Zimbabwe improves, then more of such investment can be attracted from India,” he said.

“India and Zimbabwe relations have been very good, I inherited a very excellent relationship between Zimbabwe and India, we have a relationship which is deepening and is growing.

“We have done several projects together which are going on well.

“In terms of investment in the last four years’ Indian investment in Zimbabwe has grown and is creating thousands of jobs for Zimbabweans,” said Ambassador Masakui.

Ambassador Masakui was speaking at India House in Borrowdale, Harare on the side-lines of the end of a two-year celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi .

In a speech read on his behalf by acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Mr Peter Muzawazi, the Minister, Ambassador Cain Mathema, thanked India for assisting Zimbabwe.

“I want to register my gratitude once more for the 500 solar lamps that some of our learners in disadvantaged communities received from the Indian Government through His Excellency, Ambassador Masakui.

“These solar lamps represent the green energy or renewable energy and the light that we get from the life of Mahatma Gandhi.

“These are some of the fruits beginning to be enjoyed some seven decades after the death of Mahatma,” said Ambassador Mathema.

Meanwhile, Gandhi — a renowned Indian lawyer, politician, social activist, writer and leader of the nationalist movement against the British rule of India — is internationally acclaimed for advocating a peaceful protest to achieve political and social progress.

At the function, some students and youths who presented pieces, and art in honour of the Indian icon were rewarded with prizes.