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Dr Sibanda

Lloyd Gumbo Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe has signed a cooperation agreement with the first company to express interest in the Special Economic Zones recently set up by Government which will manufacture at least 50 000 computers annually. This follows the recent gazetting of the Special Economic Zones Bill to be debated in Parliament soon and aimed at attracting foreign direct investment and stimulate economic growth.

The Office of the President and Cabinet and the Chinese firm Inspur Group signed the agreement on Tuesday that is expected to start operating soon. The deal is in line with Government policy on setting up Special Economic Zones to attract investment since the company will be based at Sunway City along Harare-Mutare highway which was identified as a SEZ.

When implemented, the deal is expected to create jobs for thousands of graduates in relevant fields. Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda signed on behalf of Zimbabwe while Inspur Group president, Mr Sun Pishu signed on behalf of his firm.

Dr Sibanda and Inspur Group vice president, Mr Peter Huang also signed an agreement for immediate implementation of the deal from this month to December next year. In his remarks, Dr Sibanda said signing of the agreement followed his visit to China last year where they explored areas of cooperation to strengthen the implementation of e-Government and Zim-Asset.

“During my visit, I signed on behalf of the Zimbabwe Government, memorandum of understanding and an action plan on implementation of various e-Government projects,” he said. “The relationship was further strengthened and reinvigorated by the visit by His Excellency, the President of Zimbabwe, Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe in August 2014 to Inspur Group during his official State visit to China where Inspur donated 200 computers to him.”

Dr Sibanda said according to the agreement, the technical areas of cooperation included national information data centre project, high performance computer system, e-taxation project, e-education, e-immigration and establishment of a joint venture company to manufacture computers and related accessories as well as establishment of a high technology park.

Mr Sun hailed the signing of the agreement saying it would go a long way in enhancing economic cooperation between Zimbabwe and China. “At the national level, our president Xi Jinping was here on State visit last week and now I am also here so this will deepen relations between Inspur Group and Zimbabwe,” he said.

“This signing will promote cooperation under the principles outlined by our two Presidents. Inspur Group promised to contribute technology to serve the people of Zimbabwe.”  Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Huang Ping said the signing of the agreement signalled bubbling relations between the two countries.