People need to be united for the economy to bloom

Western diplomats and security chiefs from the region said prospects of turning around the economy were bright and urged Zimbabweans to collectively work hard to achieve its potential. Speaking on the side-lines of the 34th Independence anniversary celebrations in Harare, United States of America Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Bruce Wharton, said Zimbabwe has great potential to improve the economy. "This country (Zimbabwe) has enormous potential. If you look at the economy's performance between 2008 and 2009 for example, the economy grew by 28 percent in a few months. "This shows that the future of Zimbabwe can be very bright if all the stakeholders work hard," said Mr Wharton.

Mr Wharton, whose country intensified its economic sanctions regime on Thursday, added that US was committed to promoting development in Zimbabwe. "At independence some 34 years ago, my country made a commitment to support development projects in Zimbabwe and that commitment remains strong. I am here to re-express our commitment and solidarity with Zimbabwe," he said. Mr Wharton congratulated Zimbabwe for attaining independence on behalf of the US government. He, however, did not say how his professed hope for Zimbabwe's economic turnaround fitted into the economic sanctions regime his country intensified on Thursday, when it added one company and several Chinese nationals doing business in Zimbabwe to a travel and financial blacklist.

Ambassador Matthew Neuhaus of Australia concurred saying Zimbabwe was promising. "The economic future of Zimbabwe is very promising. You have a very well-educated young generation who are capable of working hard to take this country forward. "We have stood beside Zimbabwe through difficult times as well as better times and partnering in development assistance and investment.”We hope that this year we may see improvements in economic policy which allows us to do more," he said. DRC ambassador to Zimbabwe, who is also Dean of African diplomats, Ambassador Mwanananga Mwawampanga, hailed Zimbabwe for the achievements made after independence.

South Korean companies are keen to invest in Zimbabwe and strengthen the bilateral relations existing between the two countries, outgoing Seoul ambassador to Harare Mr Kwang-Chul Lew also said. The envoy paid a courtesy call on Vice President Joice Mujuru at her Munhumutapa Offices to bid her farewell. Mr Kwang said Zimbabwe's economy had great potential to become one the best on the continent. “The country has economic potential and we have a number of South Korean companies who want to come and invest in the country once the requirements are agreed on," he said. "It is my hope that we are going to strengthen economic relations that are beneficiary to the two countries." He said Zimbabwe's strength in mining and agriculture would take the country far. "Zimbabwe has four pillars of the economy which include mining, agriculture, manufacturing, trade and commerce and I don't know which one is going to make a big impact first but these pillars will take them far as far as the growth of the economy is concerned," Mr Kwang said.