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Blessings Chidakwa-Herald Reporter

Spanish companies are eager to invest in Zimbabwe on projects to revive the economy in agriculture, tourism, renewable energy and sports, outgoing Ambassador of Spain to Zimbabwe Santiago Gomez-Acebo said yesterday.

Zimbabwe is an agrarian economy with most of the country’ economy being directly and indirectly linked to agriculture.

Tourism also has a huge potential and is seen as a low hanging fruit for the country and the Government has a cocktail of measures to ensure it becomes a US$5 billion industry by 2025. Zimbabwe boasts of one of the World’s seven natural wonders, Victoria Falls.

Speaking after meeting President Mnangagwa at State House, Ambassador Gomez said some Spanish companies were eager to invest in Zimbabwe.

“There is a huge potential for Spanish companies to increase trade with Zimbabwe and to invest in important sectors in which we connect value to the recovery of Zimbabwe’s economy.

“Those sectors are mainly agriculture. We have been helping Zimbabwe since the year 2018, always through Spanish private companies who sold many of the centre pivots that you will see in the country. 

Huge centre pivots benefiting the agriculture of Zimbabwe have been made in Spain,” he said.

Ambassador Gomez said the two countries can still do much more in terms of increasing bilateral trade.

“We export around US$10 million to Zimbabwe whereas Zimbabwe is about to reach US$20 million. That is very little, but there is a huge potential to increase that with the European partnerships agreement taking full effect in the next coming years.

“There is also the sector of renewable energy. There are quite important companies from Spain that are starting about five or six projects in aspects of solar.” 

Ambassador Gomez said relations should also be strengthened in the tourism sector in which the opportunities are very high. “Spain is one of the top tourism powers in the world. We have about nearly 90 million tourists coming to Spain every year and we can help Zimbabwe develop its tourism sector.

“We have an enormous expertise in hotel management, restaurants and the whole industry surrounding tourism. We also believe that Zimbabwe clearly has a great potential in tourism,” he said.

Ambassador Gomez said was delighted that Spanish tourists are returning to Zimbabwe after two years of Covid-19 with many more ready to come.

He described Zimbabweans as kind and loving people.

“Basically the message is that of friendship. The kindness of Zimbabweans has always impressed me and my wife. We consider that Zimbabwe has an incredible level of education and we believe the country has a bright future. We wish you all the best.

“Other areas that we spoke about are sports cooperation and people to people relationships. There are a number of students from Zimbabwe going to private Spanish universities all with scholarships increasing,” he said.

Ambassador Gomez who was in the country since 2019 also handed a Spanish football team jersey to President Mnangagwa inscribed “Mnangagwa 1”.

The ambassador said he also conveyed a friendship message on behalf of his Majesty the King of Spain and the Spanish Government to President Mnangagwa saying Zimbabwe has always been a friend since the days of the hard fought independence.