Publications
Partners
Harare - There is an air of renewed hope and optimism in Zimbabwe as its new President Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to attend the 48th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum to be held at Davos in Switzerland.
The 70 heads of state and government in attendance will include 10 from Africa.
This is the first time a Zimbabwean president will attend the annual meeting, 37 years after the country attained independence, although Morgan Tsvangirai as former prime minister in the country’s inclusive government attended the Davos meeting in 2010.
It is however Mnangagwa’s invitation to Davos that has attracted attention, less than two months after he assumed power following a military operation that culminated in the resignation of former president Robert Mugabe.
Mnangagwa, who is now the new face of Zimbabwe, is expected to explain the country’s new trajectory after declaring that it is now open for business.
Since assuming power in November 2017, Mnangagwa has been consistent in this message.
“Zimbabwe is open for business. Yes, there will be political issues, but primarily it’s economics and trade for Zimbabwe. To achieve that, we need to revisit our own legislation in Zimbabwe to open for business,” has been the message he has also preached in his state visits to South Africa, Angola, Namibia and Mozambique.
Zimbabweans have welcomed Mnangagwa’s invitation and have since started a “Road to Davos” campaign which will culminate in a Town Hall meeting with Mnangagwa on Thursday.
Organised by the Global Shapers Harare, the meeting is the first ever Town Hall meeting for Mnangagwa.
It is hoped that Mnangagwa will articulate the country’s policies and give assurance to investors that their investments in the country will be safe.
