Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1696591607228.pdf (Zimbabwe)
STATEMENT BY THE ACTING MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE, HON.
C. MATHEMA AT THE MINISTRY’S STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP HELD AT ZIPAM: 6 DECEMBER, 2018 Permanent Secretary, Ambassador J. Manzou, Ambassadors and Heads of Missions, Principal Director, Directors, Consul Generals, Deputy Directors here present, Senior Officials, Chief Executive Officer of ZimTrade, Ladies and Gentleman, 1 I have great pleasure to welcome you all home once again and in particular to this important strategic planning workshop of our Ministry.
I am confident that the serene and tranquil environment provided by ZIPAM is most conducive to a successful outcome of our workshop.

Our gathering here today, is yet again another rare opportunity which has afforded to the entire leadership of the Ministry to introspect on the road we have traversed since our last similar endeavour in 2013, in Masvingo.
It is also most opportune as it comes exactly a year after the advent of our much cherished “New Political Dispensation”, which was ushered in on the 24th November 2017, when the President E.D.

Mnangagwa took oath of the highest office in land.

2 You will recall that at that material time the President clearly spelt out the new foreign policy trajectory our country was going to immediately embark on.
The cardinal pillars of that policy were inter alia:- - The end of Zimbabwe’s isolation - Robust transactional economic diplomacy - Engagement and re-engagement - Strengthening and consolidation of existing relations - Opening of new frontiers of relations - Outreaching to our diaspora community.

Looking back over our work in 2018, I am happy to note that we have performed exceedingly well with the limited resources we had, to carry forward our mandate.
We have engaged and re-engaged with Western countries which had been hitherto at arms length.

We have 3 undertaken special missions to assure and re-assure our long time friends and allies of enduring and deeper fraternal and mutually beneficial friendship.

We have resumed profound dialogue with multilateral international financial institutions and the immediate outcome is positive.

We have undertaken exploratory missions to new horizons in search of new diplomatic interlocutors.
Our engagements with our diaspora community have bore tangible economic results with some already taking an active role in the resuscitation of some critical sectors of the economy (e.g.

the Diaspora Investment Group of South Africa).

Encouraged by the mantra “Zimbabwe is open for business” several foreign businesses have visited and continue to visit Zimbabwe in search of investment opportunities.
These visits have resulted in several new economic initiatives and partnerships which will definitely spur our economy.

The Minister of Finance revealed that by the end of October 4 2018, foreign investors had negotiated US$15 billion worth of projects.

This is really encouraging.

We are truly grateful to His Excellency the President for having led in ernest our diplomatic endeavours, be they visits to our neighbours in the region, to rest of Africa, Asia, or across the oceans to Europe and Americas.
Forays by our special envoys to buttress the efforts of our Head of State proved a crucial arsenal that needs to be continuously nurtured in our diplomacy going forward.

I do not want to “split hairs” on what each and every single of our engagement exercise achieved.

However, suffice to say the entire exercise was deliberate, well planned and precise in excursion.

We can all agree today that, thanks to our collective efforts, our country is no longer isolated as it was when we embarked on this journey.
Our new 5 vibrant diplomacy is acknowledged by both foe and friend alike.

Fresh economic dividends are being realised daily.

The image of the country has been spruced up and “brand Zimbabwe” is definitely on the rise and a force to reckon with.

As we set the tone of our workshop’s deliberations, we might all want to reflect on key developments that must of essence guide our future course.
Following our successful harmonised elections on the 30th July 2018, witnessed and endorsed by most international observer missions including SADC and the A.U., our Second Republic was born on 26th August 2018 with the investiture of Cde.

E.D.

Mnangagwa as President.

During that inauguration, the President outlined further the country’s long term trajectory when he unveiled “Zimbabwe’s 6 national vision 2030”.
In essence this ambitious national goal espouses that our country should attain ”a higher middle income economy with a per capital G.D.P.

of US$3 500 by 2030”.

This vision is again predicated on robust transactional economic diplomacy premised on clearly defined economic cycles, beginning with the first two year “Transitional Stabilisation Programme” (TSP) to run 2018 to December 2020.
The “Transitional Stabilisation Programme” will be succeeded by two five year economic programmes to run 2021 to 2025 and 2026 to 2030 respectively, by which time Zimbabwe should emerge as a new middle income nation with high quality for all its citizens.

The “Transitional Stabilisation Programme” which forms the anchor of the recently announced 2019 national budget, focuses on streamlining the country’s economic base and building strong pillars upon which the whole economic fabric will be 7 woven afresh.
This includes putting in place macro- economic frameworks with specific intervention dealing with issues such as monetary and fiscal policies among others.

It is focused on “quick win and high impact activities and projects that lay a solid foundation for accelerated and sustainable economic growth”.
The new “Vision 2030” and in particular the “Transitional Stabilisation Programme”, predicated on the mantra “Zimbabwe is open for business”, envisions deep and rapid structural reforms aimed at removing imminent bottlenecks and other impediments, and re-integrate our economy into mainstream global economy.
Our national Vision entails amongst others the following:-  To transform Zimbabwe into an upper middle- income economy with a per capita grow income of 8 between US$3 500 and US$5 000 in real terms by 2030,  To raise employment rates upwards, not only in the formal sector, but also covering the SME sector;  To progressively reduce the Poverty Rate, to levels consistent with upper middle-income economies;  To achieve an average Life Expectancy of over 65 years, and in the process, score in the upper echelons of the Happiness and Prosperity -Index  To guarantee national food security, affordable, competitive and accessible education and health services, and infrastructural development;  To achieve double digit economic growth rates;  To establish a stable macro-economic environment and high productivity levels; 9  To facilitate budget savings and reorient expenditures away from consumption to production;  To foster private sector-led economic growth through investment promotion and ease of doing business reforms;  To implement a sustainable Debt Arrears Clearance Strategy;  To rationalize the Public Service wage bill in order to reduce the fiscal deficit to sustainable levels; and  To undertake reforms to unlock the potential of public enterprises to effectively contribute to the country's GDP.
The five key pillars of vision 2030 are: 10  Governance which will focus on carrying out reforms necessary for laying a solid foundation for sustainable economic take off.

 Inclusive Growth which will pursue all embracing inclusive economic growth and development focusing on the major sectors of the economy.

 Macro-Economic Stability and Financial Reengagement which will focus on marshalling all the financial resources necessary and attending to the country's indebtedness.
 Social Development which will address the provision of adequate and sustainable services, to the nation.

 Cross Cutting Enablers which will prioritise I.C.T.s and other supportive infrastructure.
11 As we aspire for a new world status, lets continuously recall that the Second Republic has committed itself to a higher standard anchored on the following fundamental values:            Improved governance and rule of law Re-orientation of the country towards full democracy Upholding and respect of fundamental freedoms including that of expression and association Peace and national unity Respect for human and property rights Establishment of responsive public institutions Broad based participation of citizenry in national and socio-economic development Political and economic re-engagement with the global community Creation of a competitive and friendly business environment Enhanced domestic and foreign investment Aggressive fight against all forms of corruption.
12 In order to attain our ambitions and “Vision 2030”, the Government has adopted the “Rapid Result Approach (RRA)” predicated on verifiable 100 day results based management system across all its departments.

This is meant to ensure that the whole machinery of Government will move in consonance and a predictable pace.

This eliminates the inertia of the past which was synonymous with excessive red tape, bureaucratic wastage and bottle necks amongst other ills, including rampant corruption.
In conclusion I will be the first to admit that the tasks and road ahead are full of sweat and hardships, however they are not insurmountable.

Remember the mantra, “No sweat no gain” and as the Minister of Finance aptly summed up on the presentation of the 2019 national budget “no prosperity without austerity”.

13 I wish you all successful deliberations and now declare this workshop “open for business” I thank you.

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